The first 6 Series->ke320 saw daylight in 1976 as the E24 chassis. This two-door coupe->ke141 lasted until 1989, at which point BMW->ke178 discontinued production, waiting another 14 years before resurrecting it as the E63 and E64. As of 2014, the 6 Series is now in its third generation as the F12, F13, and F06 chassis, with over 80,000 units sold since the release of the convertible->ke144 model in March of 2011. The latest iteration is slated to make its world debut at the North American International Auto Show, arriving in showrooms for the first quarter of 2015. The 6 Series comes in three discrete body styles: a two-door coupe, a convertible, and a sloped four-door known as the Gran Coupe. Featuring a longer wheelbase, plus a rear end that is short and sharply slanted, the Gran Coupe takes the convenience of four doors and adds the styling cues of a two-door model. It’s a vehicle philosophy that seeks to combine luxury,->ke505 performance, and functionality into one handsome package.

Updates for the 2016 model year are minimal, but include exterior styling tweaks and additional options for the interior and body color paint scheme. Beyond that, all the luxury and performance you’d expect from a world-class Bavarian import is present and correct.

Has BMW maintained its position as the “Ultimate Driving Machine?" Click past the jump to decide for yourself.

Click past the jump to read more about the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe.

Exterior

The exterior of the new 6 Series is not altogether different from the model we saw last year, but if you break out the microscope, you’ll start to notice some differences. For example, the front kidney grille has been updated with a reduced number of slats, down to nine from the previous 10. The front apron is also revised, and the front LED fog lamps are now trimmed in high-gloss black. There’s a new design for the LED headlamp light source, with the low-beam projected from two upper reflectors and the high beam projected from two lower reflectors. The indicators are now integrated into an accent strip cutting across the top of the headlight as opposed to the bottom, and the side mirrors have been aerodynamically optimized.

Frosting the C-pillar is a new Gran Coupe badge, and the rear apron sees a slight increase in the tailpipe surround. Newly designed 20-inch wheels fit the corners, and there are a total of five new color shades to choose from for paint.

Exterior Dimensions

Side-by-side comparison

Interior

Inside the Gran Coupe, you’ll find the typical top-shelf materials and opulence that you’d expect from a Bimmer. There’s a high-gloss black surface for the center console, which extends the iDrive operating system controls to integrate with a freestanding Control Display. LED illumination is used in the footwells, door exits and glove box. Customers can choose either Dakota or Nappa leather for upholstery, with both available in bi-color design schemes. Fineline Brown wood trim is now an added option.

The laundry list of luxury continues with the latest navigation system, heated and electrically adjustable front seats, active seat ventilation, two-zone automatic climate control, an electronically adjustable steering wheel, dynamic cruise control with Stop & Go automated technology, heated mirrors, Bluetooth connectivity, and USB interface. Audio options include a Harman Kardon HiFi system, and Bang & Olufsen surround sound. There’s even a heads-up display that projects information like vehicle speed, vehicle management messages, infotainment readouts, and navigation information onto the windshield. Finally, a rearview camera, lane departure warning, and parallel parking assist step in when needed.

Drivetrain

Two engine options are available for the Gran Coupe, with the 445-horsepower 650i packing a V-8, and the 315-horsepower 640i packing an inline-six. Both benefit from the boost of twin turbochargers compressing the intake charge. There’s an eight-speed Steptronic sport transmission with launch control to put the power down, plus an available all-wheel-drive (xDrive) option box. The extra traction from this system improves the 0-to-60 time to 4.4 seconds for the high-end 650i. The exhaust system for the inline-six has been equipped with an on-demand switchable valve for slightly increased power and greatly increased sound.

Predictably for a grand tourer, the suspension tries to strike a balance between comfort and performance. This is done with electronic aides like Dynamic Damper Control and Active Roll Stabilization. There’s also active rear steering for crisper turn-in.

Drivetrain Specifications

Prices

Pricing starts at $78,300 for the six-cylinder model, but the option list is dense and long. You could easily tack on an additional $30k with a few careless pen marks. However, that’s part of the game when it comes to cars like the 6 Series. Few vehicles are as boring as an option-free, base model BMW.

Competition

Mercedes CLS

The CLS was the original four-door coupe, and as such, it does most everything properly. There are a total of five engines to choose from, including a 2.1-liter, inline-four turbo-diesel in two different spec levels (170 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, or 204 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque); a 3.0-liter, V-6 diesel with 258 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque; a bi-turbo, 3.0-liter V-6 petrol with 333 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque; and a range-topping, bi-turbo, V-8 petrol with 402 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque. There’s also an optional nine-speed transmission and available all-wheel drive.

The options keep coming in the cabin with five interior color schemes and six trim finishes, plus all the gadgets and technology you could hope for. At about $80,000 for the base model 220 BlueTEC model, the CLS is the car to beat for the Gran Coupe.

Audi A7

Not to be outdone by its fellow German automakers, Audi released its own four-door coupe in the form of the A7. There are two V-6 engines to choose from, with either a turbocharged, 3.0-liter, V-6 diesel making 240 horsepower and 428 pound-feet of torque, or a supercharged, 3.0-liter, V-6 engine making 330 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. Both are connected to quattro all-wheel-drive via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Inside, there’s leather, aluminum, and walnut, plus an optional heads-up display to project pertinent data on the windshield. For under $60,000, you can get a base A7 with standard all-wheel drive, which means the four-ring entry in this segment will be stout competition for anyone looking for a good deal.

Conclusion

With a ton of options to comb through, the 6 Series Gran Coupe is a great choice for those looking for a luxury-rich four-door coupe. However, the CLS matches it blow-for-blow. The Audi takes the slot as the bargain of the bunch, making the choice between Mercedes and BMW really up to preference. Both look good, both are decently fast, and both come with enough technology to shame Zaphod Beeblebrox. Personally, I’d probably end up with the Merc. It’s an original, and while the Bimmer is great, I’d simply prefer the CLS in my driveway.