The third generation BMW F06/F12/F13 6 Series was marketed from 2011 to 2018. A 4-door sedan (F06 model code), a 2-door convertible (F12 model code), and a 2-door coupe are the available body types.
It made its debut at the 2011 New York and Shanghai auto shows. At the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, a new four-door coupe variant of the BMW 6 Series was unveiled. It is based on the CS Concept from 2007. Initial models came with three different engines: a 3.0-liter inline six, a 4.4-liter V8, and a 3.0-liter inline six diesel. Later on, all-wheel drive vehicles were added to the lineup.
The 6 Series had a facelift in 2015 that included minor performance and fuel economy enhancements as well as design tweaks. The 6 Series coupe variant’s discontinuation as a production vehicle was confirmed in February 2017. The Gran Coupe and Convertible both terminated in October 2018, respectively. The F06 Gran Coupe is still in production for the 2019 model year even though production halted in the fall of 2018.
The S63 twin-turbo V8 engine and 7-speed dual clutch transmission power the F06/F12/F13 M6. It uses a turbocharged engine for the first time in an M6.
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BMW 6 Series quietly ended production.
Run has been a niche class since its establishment, beginning in 2004. Or, should I say
were abandoned until BMW decided to bring the car back onto the market.
was available in two varieties: the 645Ci coupe and convertible. In each versions
To detract from its essence, there is now a mild-hybrid powertrain and modern interior technology.
In order to create room for the new 8 Series models, BMW stopped selling the two-door and four-door Gran Coupe variants from the 6 Series here in the United States after the 2019 model year. Even so, the Gran Turismo version of the tall, wagon-like, fastback 6er model is still available in Europe and has been updated for 2021. Among other modifications, the car now has a mild-hybrid drivetrain and a more luxurious cabin.
While the BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo features a number of new aesthetic elements, such as a bigger kidney grille, smaller LED headlights (with adjustable Matrix-beam tech), and freshened front and back bumpers, it still has a form that causes some people to scratch their heads. The segment-busting 6 Series Gran Turismo is likely still a mystery to onlookers. Does it cross over? “A four door coupe?” Or simply a tall, luxurious hatchback? The 6 Series GT nevertheless stands out in the market, while not having the same awkward appearance as its 5 Series GT forerunner.
The revised GT has a 48-volt mild-hybrid system with an electric starter-generator that gives the internal combustion engine an 11-hp boost, just as the recently revamped 2021 BMW 5 Series. All five of the 6 Series GT’s engine choices—two gas and three diesel engines—offer this technology, which is comparable to those on contemporary Audis and Mercedes-Benzes. The entire range is equipped with an automated transmission with eight speeds. A grand tourer-like ride is promised with the optional air suspension.
A 12.3-inch central display and a fully digital instrument cluster may be found inside the cabin. The back bench seat comes with an electronically adjustable backrest angle, and you can have diamond quilted leather seats. (We should point out that the 6er’s back seat is one of its highlights; its uncomfortable body height and long wheelbase combine to offer perhaps the finest rear seat space in a BMW car, second only to the 7 Series limousine.) A front seat massage feature, ash open-pore wood, a panoramic glass sunroof, and an entertainment system with two touchscreens for the backseats are further amenities.
BMW Maps, the company’s cloud-based navigation system, also makes its premiere with this model. With future traffic along the route taken into account while calculating the expected arrival time, the new technology promises speedier route calculation. BMW has also enhanced the ability to insert any word when entering a destination. Reviews, opening hours, and images are now provided for points of interest along the route.
In July, the brand-new BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo will go on sale worldwide. Along with the 7 Series and 8 Series, it will be manufactured in the BMW facility in Dingolfing, Germany.
Let’s Discuss the New Design of the BMW 4 Series (G22)
The next generation of BMW premium vehicles is one of the unconfirmed subjects. The existing BMW 4 Series and 8 Series vehicles will combine to form the BMW 6 Series, which may be an older family depending on how you look at it. According to rumors, the venerable brand will make a comeback in 2026 with a new line of cars built on the Neue Klasse platform. The Gran Coupe model, the last remaining 8 Series model, is rumored to join the 7 Series roster in the future.
The latter component is consistent with what we have already heard. The Gran Coupe is the only model to continue in the same format in a new generation because it leads the 8 Series sales report. At the same time, insiders claim that the 8 Series family’s future is still up in the air. Additionally, there will probably be a pause between the conclusion of the current 8 Series production and the start of the following one. Given that a new BMW platform will be available in 2025, electrification would open up a whole new range of possibilities for the 8 Series. BMW will have more freedom to experiment with new body shapes if it switches to entirely electric models because EV powertrains make creating new cars more simpler.
BMW 6-Series is discontinued after 2019.
BMW announced a week ago as part of their announcements for the 2020 model year that the 6-Series brand won’t be sold in the United States after 2019.
The decision is not particularly surprising given the confused existing lineup, which includes of the more recent but unrelated 6-Series Gran Turismo and the more dated 6-Series Gran Coupe sedan.
Just like the previous 6-Series coupe and 6-Series Convertible were replaced by their respective 8-Series counterparts, the 2020 8-Series Gran Coupe will take the place of the 6-Series Gran Coupe.
There isn’t a direct alternative for the 6-Series GT. Sales in the United States last year were limited to a few thousand pieces, indicating that it was introduced for 2018 but failed to spark the market. It will still be accessible elsewhere, but it is unclear what will happen to it in the long run. The 6-Series GT is likely to be discontinued once its current life cycle is over, just as the smaller 3-Series GT was already.
For the 5-Series, which will be unveiled this fall, there will also be powertrain improvements for the 2020 model year. The 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 of the sporty M550i has undergone significant revisions, as was previously revealed in May. From 456 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque before, it now produces 530 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque.
A new battery with a greater range has also been added to the 530e plug-in hybrid. Its physical size hasn’t altered, but its capacity has increased from 9.2 to 12 kilowatt-hours. Although an EPA-rated electric range hasn’t been confirmed, the 9.2-kwh battery has a 16-mile rating for reference.
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Frank Weber, the chief technical officer at BMW, was extensively interviewed by Australia’s Which Car magazine. Nearly every topic of interest to BMW devotees, both new and old, was covered in the article, including the automaker’s design philosophy, halo cars, and how to keep cars modern when technology advances so quickly relative to vehicle generation cycles. However, out of the piece’s almost 1,700 words, about 47 words in one paragraph that have nothing to do with Weber have become the story: According to rumors, the 4 and 8 Series will be combined into a new 6 Series line by BMW product planners in 2026. According to the speculation, the 8 Series Gran Coupe will be the final vehicle from both lineups to survive. But because it will be incorporated into the 7 Series lineup, it won’t be an 8 Series anymore.
If this were to happen, it would be “simply little parts of history repeating,” as Shirley Bassey once sang. The first 6 Series model debuted in 1976 and remained a shark-nosed icon of stunning badassery until 1989. The first stunning but underwhelming 8 Series debuted in 1990 and persisted until persistent underwhelming sales led BMW to discontinue it in 1999. The 6 Series made a comeback in 2004, not quite as crisp as the first, but still able to captivate a very particular and committed audience. BMW would give the 6 a second generation before finally burying it in 2018 save for the lone 6 Series GT, which was essentially a renamed 5 Series GT. The 8 Series was later brought back to life by the Munich carmaker in 2018, but sales were much slower than before. So, if the rumor about a third act for the 6 Series is true, it will only be the most recent installment in a long-running story.
According to BMW Blog, it obtained this information from its own sources. On the other hand, the demise of the 4 Series could be justified as a result of coupe and convertible sales continuing their downward trends. On the one hand, as the BMW Blog notes, there will be significant technological and electrical advancements over the next four years that may change consumer preferences. However, 2026 is only four years away, which means BMW is definitely quite close to making a choice about the 4er.
Weber’s statement that the next New Class (NKL) platform, which will eventually support every BMW, may easily pave the way for “a highly-emotional car” may interest enthusiasts as well. This might be either an i8 rebirth or a production version of the Vision M Next, the unicorn hybrid or electric halo car that whisperers can’t stop talking about.
But don’t be hesitant to visit Which Car and read the entire interview; there’s a ton more there.
BMW 6 Series Will Return Victoriously
2019 saw the launch of the BMW 8 Series, which replaced the 6 Series Coupe, Convertible, and Gran Coupe. Today, only the 6 Series Gran Turismo is still available, luckily no longer being sold in the US. We believe there is opportunity for the 6 Series to make a comeback as a more concentrated sports car now that the 8 Series has taken over as BMW’s flagship luxury cruiser. The 6 Series might make a comeback as a competitor for the Porsche 911 given that the Z4 already competes with sports vehicles of a lesser size like the Porsche 718 Boxster.
A report that the 6 Series would change into a 911 rival first surfaced back in 2016. The rumor was just forgotten as it never materialized. Autocar may have re-ignited this notion after chatting with Adrian van Hooydonk, the head of BMW design.
Van Hooydonk replied in response to a query over bringing back the 6 Series nameplate for a 911 fighter, “It’s a good concept. Perhaps we ought to work on it!” While not a confirmation, it is encouraging to see BMW’s design chief show an interest in the concept. Because creating a 911 combatant is not a simple undertaking, Mercedes-AMG created its own custom sports vehicle, the AMG GT. There are rumors that BMW’s M Division is developing its own custom sports car, but we are yet unsure of the vehicle’s design or name.
With the i8 now ending production and the 6 Series virtually gone, there is plenty of room in the BMW range for a mid-engined sports vehicle that can compete with the 911. It is something BMW should at least try, regardless of whether this new sports car would keep the 6 Series brand. We hope BMW brings back the 6 Series nameplate soon since it has too much history to just let it fade away.