BMW M6 spied

Text: Ben Foulds / Photos: Automedia

11th July 2011

BMW's monster two-door is officially back – and it's hoping to knock Audi and Porsche for six. Auto Express has killed two birds with one stone with these spy shots of both coupe and cabriolet versions of the new BMW M6.

Whereas the old M6 was powered by a naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre V10, the newcomers get the same 4.4-litre bi-turbo V8 recently shoehorned into the new M5. Power will peak at 552bhp – the same as the M5, and a figure that not even the Audi R8 V10 or Porsche 911 Turbo can match. All this power is sent to the rear wheels via a new dual-clutch gearbox, which replaces the clunkier old SMG unit.

The cars in our pictures are partially covered in BMW's usual swirly disguise; nonetheless, we can see that the M6 features adds some spice to the sleek profile of the new 6-series (driven here), with subtle but aggressive modifications to the front and rear bumpers. Most obvious are the menacing 20-inch black-painted alloys, likely to be available as an option.

Our snapper managed to get a glimpse of the interior, too, and it appears that changes over the regular 6-Series are kept to a minimum. There's a thicker steering wheel, more supportive seats and a bespoke set of instruments.

The M6 coupe and convertible are both expected to go on sale in early 2012, with the fixed-roof version costing around £90,000, and the convertible commanding a £5,000 premium.

Video: the new BMW 6 Series in action