Next Generation 6 Series to Spawn Three Variants

With the next generation 6 Series BMW intends to up the ante in styling, technology and performance. As with the current car, the plans include a two door coupe and a convertible – this time a hardtop. However there will be one important addition to the range – a four door coupe model. Or in BMW speak a 6 Series Grand Turismo.

The 6er GT will feature seating for four (and only four) and a sloping hatch back that will make it the sleekest most rakish four door BMW to date. And of course four traditional (if not small) doors.

The design of the new 6 Series range will move away from the Van Hooydonk penned E63 and it’s flanked trunk lines and convex shape and more towards what we saw in the CS Concept from last year. Look for taut surfaces and aggressive lines complemented by large wheels and LED lighting everywhere (except for high and low beams which will of course be standard xenon units).

Inside the 6er will continue the Z4′s theme of driver oriented dash design and high grade materials with some improvements of its own. Technology options will come straight from the F10 5 Series and will be loosely based on what we need in the current F01 7 Series.

Motivating all of this will be three powerplants. The twin-turbo inline six will be bumped to 326 hp (basically the same unit found in the current 740i sold outside the US) while the twin turbo V8 and the twin turbo diesel six cylinder will be carried over from the 7 Series. Look for the latter to be quickly replaced with BMW’s first tri-turbo diesel pumping out more than 500 ft lbs of torque.

BMW will introduce the new 6er late next year as a 2011 model followed in the spring of 2011 by the convertible hardtop. Finally later in 2011 look for the 6 Series GT (four doors and all) to round out the range.

But what about the M6? Exact specifications are still up in the air but we’ve been told to expect all variants (including the GT) to be fully worked over by the M Division.

Several sources helped with this reporting including the infamous Scott27 on GCZ