The two new promotional videos walk us around the exterior as well as the interior of the Bavarian GT. Despite being billed as a concept, the production version of the 6-Series Coupe, which is expected to arrive in showrooms next year, will only get some minor styling changes such as more subtle tail pipe and exterior mirror designs. Scroll down to watch both videos.
Those who expected the new BMW 6-Series to look like a two-door version of the misleadingly named Concept Gran Coupe sports sedan showed on the sidelines of the Beijing Show back in April, may pat themselves in the back.
In a nutshell, out goes the controversial styling of the Bangle-era 6-Series and in comes Adrian van Hooydonk's (the new BMW design Chief) sleeker and more elegant but also far less adventurous design lines.
Speaking with Autoweek, the company's development chief Klaus Draeger said the Gran Coupé will launch in 2012, a year after the debut of the next generation of the 6-series Coupe in 2011.
Draeger said the production version of the Gran Coupé, which was shown as a thinly disguised concept on the sidelines of the Beijing Auto Show in April, will be "closely aligned" with the 6-series coupe both in terms of technology/platform, and pricing. In the US, the current 650i starts from $78,450, while in Germany, the entry-level 630i costs €70,450.
However, instead of offering a V12 in its top-range model, BMW went instead with the F1-inspired 5.0 liter V10 powerhouse to create a new M6 with an SMG III transmission and a carbon fiber roof.
Much like Chris Bangle's 7-Series and 5-Series models, the new 6-Series was a bold move away from the Bavarian firm's stagnant (but undeniably classic) lines and into fresh styling territory.
These include the Alfa Romeo Stradale 50, a mid-engined supercar said to combine the curvy lines of the 8C Competizione with the more angular detailing of the 159 and Brera; the Duesenberg 2100 that revives the iconic brand from Indiana with a futuristic take on the Art Deco theme; the exotic BMW Formula 1; the Ginetta G80 sports coupe and last but not least, the Aston Martin Viceroy. Follow the jump below for the photo gallery.
We're still short on details but we do know that the base model shown in this rendering will be a four-seater powered by a rear-mounted electric motor that draws its juice from a set of batteries. BMW has also revealed that the production version of the Megacity will make extensive use of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP).
If you follow the jump, you can see pictures of an experimental vehicle platform made from CFRP undergoing various tests at BMW's development center. We'll keep you updated on any additional information we receive.
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For one, we don't remember seeing these drawings before, however we could be mistaken, in which case, don't hesitate to let us know in the comments section below.
Recent or not, the car or cars appear to incorporate the many styling cues of the latest bimmers such as the 2011 5-Series, including the strong beltline crease and the headlight / tail lamp design, but with a entirely new interpretation of double-kidney grille that harks back to the pre-Bangle-era BMWs. See the rest of the pictures after the jump
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If true, we're guessing that the sedan will also bear a second moniker in the likes of the 5-Series GT to avoid confusing with the two-door coupe and convertible models of the 6-Series.
Have a look at the gallery below and see what tickles your fancy. The SUV limos are a bit much, but the rag-top conversions don't look too bad (especially the CLS and 300).
Most of you will probably be interested only in BMW's conceptual answer to Merc's CLS sports saloon, so in the video after the jump, fast forward to the 1:25 minute mark for the part with the Gran Coupé.
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