BMW teases M6 Gran Coupe

It was only a matter of time. BMW’s 412kW/680Nm twin-turbo V8 has already been slotted into the M5 sedan and M6 coupe/convertible, and the next recipient in line is the four-door M6 Gran Coupe.

The Bavarian car-maker has for now released only these teaser pics of the imminent coupe-sedan bahnstormer, which was revealed at BMW M division’s 40th anniversary celebration at the Nurbrugring this week and will make its world debut at January’s Detroit motor show.

Premiering alongside BMW’s third M6 model in Detroit will be the all-new X4 crossover, which like the X5-based X6 will essentially be a high-riding four-door coupe-like version of the latest X3 SUV. Due on sale globally in 2014, the X4 will be built alongside the X3, X5 and X6 at Spartanburg in the US.

No technical details have as yet been announced for the M6 Gran Coupe, but it’s more than likely it will feature the force-fed V8 in the same state of tune as its M5 and two-door M6 stablemates, along with the same seven-speed dual-clutch M-DCT gearbox.

This should add up to 0-100km/h acceleration in about 4.5 seconds and an electronically governed top whack of 250km/h, putting it in the same ballpark as direct rivals like Mercedes-Benz’s ballistic Mercedes CLS63 AMG and Porsche’s Panamera Turbo.

Prototypes of the four-door M6 had been spied at the Nurburgring earlier this year, but camouflaging concealed much of the detailing.

These teaser pics don’t give away too much either, but expect the production-ready car to feature an equally aggressive stance as the M6 Coupe, with its large air intakes, fender vents, tasty 20-inch five-spoke alloys and quad tailpipes.

Meanwhile, the cabin is likely to feature the usual M-Haus accoutrements, including an M Design steering wheel, gearshift knob and instrumentation.

No word as yet on pricing, but expect the M6 Gran Coupe to land here wearing a sticker price just over the $300k mark.

Meanwhile at the other end of BMW’s performance model range, the M division is also readying a diversified compact car line-up, with the replacement for the M3 family expected to feature two-door coupe and convertible and four-door Gran Coupe variants that will all wear the new M4 nameplate.

The mainstream 4 Series range will replace the existing 3 Series Coupe and Convertible in Australia by around mid-2013, leaving the new M3 sedan (expected to be launched around the same time as the M4 Coupe and Convertible in 2014) to keep alive the iconic M3 nameplate that has been around since the mid-1980s.

Similarly, replacements for the current 1 Series Coupe and Convertible will wear 2 Series badges, with M versions of these two-doors both dubbed the M2.

According to some reports, two powerplants are being tested for the new M2 – a development of the 3.0-litre twin-turbo six that propelled the much-loved 1 M Coupe, and an innovative tri-turbo unit that allegedly offers similar performance but better fuel economy.

The M-house won’t neglect BMW’s crossover range either, with an M version of the upcoming X2 set to join the X5 M and X6 M by late 2014.

Like the next M3, expect the X4 M to pack a high-output version of BMW’s twin-turbo petrol six, while BMW’s new M Performance range will be bolstered by the perky X4 40M – powered by a detuned version BMW’s tri-turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder diesel launched in the X5 and X6 M50d.

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