New BMW M6 Gran Coupe 2015 review
It might not be the best M car out there, but there's no denying the BMW M6 Gran Coupe's huge performance
The BMW M6 Gran Coupe may not be our first choice of 6 Series nor our first choice of M Car, but you still have to respect its performance, poise and presence. And now with a range of admittedly minor updates – the most significant of which is Merino leather as standard – help make it slightly more appealing than before.
The updates to the BMW 6 Series extend right across the board affecting all trim levels and models including M cars like the M6 Gran Coupe. So there are the same hard-to spot changes to the front and rear bumpers, new door mirrors and full LED headlamps as standard.
Inside you now get some black trim on the centre console, a revised iDrive infotainment screen and BMW’s ConnectedDrive as standard. Unlike the normal 6 Gran Coupe though, the M6 doesn’t get digital dials but retains the M-branded analogue ones. However, the luxurious Merino leather is now standard which makes the cabin even plusher place to sit in, and there’s a head-up display.
Other than this the car is as it was before – which means its still one of the most curious M Models ever. BMW took the 6 Series Coupe and made it less sporty by adding some rear doors before its M division set about making it even more sporty with bespoke suspension, brakes, differential, gearbox and of course that twin turbo 4.4-litre V8. It seems illogical but it works.
As before, the M6 Gran Coupe produces 562bhp and 680NM of torque that is available from just 1,500rpm. Unsurprisingly it shoots off like a rocket the moment you floor the throttle and races from standstill to 62mph in 4.2 seconds. It emits a seismic rumble as it does so, with each change up from the seven-speed dual clutch paddle shift gearbox highlighted by a distinct ‘parp’ from the massive exhaust pipes.
You can change the speed of the shifts from almost unnoticeable to ultra aggressive, and by pressing some other buttons next the gear selector, alter the throttle response, steering weight and stiffness of the adaptive suspension. For most of the time ‘Comfort’ is the best mode as it gives the M6 a welcome dose of usability, but we can’t help but feel the engine mode should be in ‘Sport’ to give proper M-like aural thrills.
But if you think that you could possibly need even more power, there’s a Competition Pack for £5,500 which turns the M dial all the way up to 11. It includes firmer suspension and liberates an extra 40bhp from the engine – neither of which we feel are necessary. Perhaps a more useful upgrade would be the carbon ceramic brakes of our test car – at £7,395 they are pricy but scrub speed off at an eye-popping rate.
