It is easy to confuse the BMW 6 Series with the previous 5 Series GT. What's worth noting is that the 6 Series is a more advanced lineup than the 5 Series. It's got some additional space and new tech, which makes it a perfect choice for Gran Turismo lovers. While the car looks quite appealing and even feels luxurious, many car aficionados have faulted its performance on the road. All in all, the BMW 6 Series is a niche offering and may not be ideal for everyone’s taste.
Performance and Engines
While the GT name has made many believe that the BMW 6 Series is a sporting car, the GT was not in any way designed with any sporting intent. BMW aimed the car at people that want a more comfortable feel than an agile vehicle. With that said, the BMW 6 Series is still worth trying out. Like the 5 Series and 7 Series, the 6 Series also features a front and rear suspension although the latter also includes air suspension on the rear axle. Noise levels produced by the car are also commendably low.
You can only get three engine options when it comes to the BMW 6 Series. These include two petrol engines and a diesel engine. The 630i is powered by a 4-cylinder petrol engine that produces about 258bhp with a torque of about 400Nm. It means that the car can average about 6.3 seconds to get from 0 to 62 mph. The 640i, on the other hand, has a 6-cylinder turbocharged engine that can attain 0 to 62 mph in 5.2 seconds. However, the diesel engine promises more efficiency with a power of 265 bhp and a torque of 650Nm.
Model Range
Production of the 6 Series began in 1976 and spanned four generations, with the last generation still in production. Here are the four generations of the BMW 6 series.
First Generation
The E24 started production from 1976 till 1988. It was designed to replace the E9 coupe, which is why it was only manufactured in a 2-door coupe body style. This line consisted of several engines including;
- 3.2L 6-cylinder leaded petrol engine (147kW,290Nm)
- 3.4L 6-cylinder unleaded petrol engine (136kW,290Nm)
- 4.4L 8-cylinder PULP engine (300kW,600Nm)
Second Generation
After about 14 years, BMW introduced the E63 and E64 and marketed them as the second generation of the 6 Series. The two models came in coupe and convertible body styles, respectively. Both the E63 and E64 received praises and criticisms about its styling design. There were also reports of clients who were unsatisfied with the iDrive system. It also has some impressive engines such as:
- 3.0l I6 turbocharged petrol engine (190kW, 300Nm)
- 3.0L I6 turbocharged petrol engine (200kW, 320Nm)
- 4.4L V8 turbocharged petrol engine (245kW,450Nm)
- 4.8L V8 turbocharged petrol engine (270kW, 490Nm)
- 5.0L V10 turbocharged petrol engine (373kW, 520Nm)
- 3.0L turbocharged diesel engine (210kW, 580Nm)
Third Generation
Produced from 20011 till 2018, the third generation of the 6 Series consisted of the F06, F12, and F13. The three vehicles had different body styles with the F06 being a four-door coupe and the F12 designed as a 2-door convertible. The F13, on the other hand, was designed as a 2-door coupe. It premiered at the Shanghai Auto Show in 2011 and underwent many design and performance changes over the years. Models produced after 2015 received improvements in fuel efficiency. The initial models included the following powertrains:
- 3.0L I6 turbocharged petrol engine (235kW, 450Nm)
- 4.4L V8 twin-turbo petrol engine (300kW, 600Nm)
- 4.4L V8 twin-turbo petrol engine (330kW, 650Nm)
- 4.4L V8 twin-turbo petrol engine (397kW, 730Nm)
- 3.0L V8 twin-turbo petrol engine (230kW, 630Nm)
Fourth Generation
The fourth generation of the BMW 6 Series is the G32. Its production started in 2017 and is still on the market at present (2019). Sold as the '6 Series Gran Turismo,’ the G32 has a five-door fastback body style that compliments its looks. It has a wide range of engines including:
- 2.0L I4 turbocharged petrol engine (190kW, 400Nm)
- 3.0L I6 turbocharged petrol engine (250kW, 450Nm)
- 2.0L I4 turbocharged diesel engine (140kW, 400Nm)
- 3.0L I6 turbocharged diesel engine (195kW, 620Nm)
- 3.0L I6 turbocharged diesel engine (235kW, 680Nm)