BMW M6 Competition Package 2015 review

Without driving the standard M6 back-to-back with the Competition Package car, even the keenest drivers will struggle to discern the marginal differences in performance. On paper it’s even faster than before, but 
the original is hardly lacking in 
punch – so we’d save the £7,300
 and spend it on a few choice extras.

The BMW M6 is a brute, a muscle car for the 21st century, if you like. With 567bhp, it’s hardly slow – but that hasn’t stopped engineers upping power to 592bhp and adding some performance-enhancing tweaks to make this Competition Package car the fastest and most powerful M6 ever.

The pack itself is nothing new. BMW’s pre-facelift M6 also came with an optional Competition set-up, but this new version ups the ante. As well as the 25bhp power hike, peak torque is up 20Nm to 700Nm. That figure is delivered from just 1,500rpm – and right through to 6,000rpm – making the M6 feel mind-bogglingly fast in a straight line.

While 0-62mph is only a tenth of a second quicker (down to 3.9 seconds), the 0-124mph time is slashed by 0.6 seconds, to 11.8 seconds. However, unlike some high-power GT cars that build speed gently, the M6 feels every bit as quick as those figures suggest.

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But the £7,300 Competition Package benefits from more than just a jump in performance. All cars come with upgrades to the springs, dampers and anti-roll bars, making it even stiffer than before. It doesn’t feel discernibly more agile on the road, but experienced drivers are likely to feel more of the benefit on track – where the firmer set-up allows alarmingly rapid changes of direction.

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The steering offers more feedback, too, although we had no complaints with the old car. As always, there are three modes, with the all-out Sports + setting providing plenty of feedback on the right road.

BMW has also fitted an active M Differential for better traction, but provoke it and the rear wheels will still light up at 70mph in fourth gear. As a result, the M6 feels ferociously fast at any speed, and – where the law allows – will keep pulling well past 140mph. In typical German fashion, all cars are electronically limited to 155mph – although this is removed on the M Driver’s Package, boosting top speed to 189mph.

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All models come with a sports exhaust, which turns the noise up a notch, as well as 20-inch bi-colour alloy wheels. Our car came with the optional carbon ceramic brakes, which provide incredible stopping power and fade-free endurance, but at £7,395, they’re expensive. We reckon they’re only worth considering if you plan on taking your M6 to the track on a regular basis.

The Competition Package is available across the M6 range, costing slightly less (£6,300) on the four-door M6 Gran Coupé. Whether you want the additional kit comes down to whether you want ultimate bragging rights. Only a smidgen of keen drivers will be able to separate the two cars on the road.