BMW has uncovered full details of the Coupé version that will arrive in Ireland later this year.
Set to be officially unveiled at the Shanghai Motor Show in April, the 6 Series Coupé will come with two twin-turbo engine options. The first and most popular with Irish buyers will be the same 3.0-litre petrol as used in the BMW 5 Series saloon - with 320hp and 450Nm of torque - for the 640i.
The BMW 650i will pack a 4.4-litre V8 with a twin-turbo punch of 407hp and 600Nm of shove. While North American customers will be offered the choice of a six-speed manual gearbox, Irish 6 Series Coupé buyers will be limited to an eight-speed automatic as standard. In this form, the 650i offers 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds and uses 10.4 litres/100km (27.2mpg).
The 640i will cover 0-100km/h in 5.4 seconds and use 7.9 litres/100km (35.7mpg), but economy fans will have to wait for the 3.0-litre twin-turbo 630d that will pack 300hp and a whopping 600Nm of lug. This is due on sale towards the end of 2011. Fast fans will have to wait even longer till the end of 2012 for the next BMW M6 that will be based around the same twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 as the new M5 saloon will use.
As with the 5 Series, the new BMW 6 Series Coupé is a more restrained development in looks than its predecessor. It's 75mm longer, 39mm wider and 5mm lower to give a sleeker look, while the wheelbase has been lengthened by 75mm to provide extra rear legroom and make the 6 Series Coupé more of a grand tourer.
BMW's EfficientDynamics measures will feature on every model to some extent, with the 640i coming with stop-start as standard. All models will have Brake Energy Regeneration, while the Coupé will also use the same Driving Dynamics Control system first seen on the BMW Z4.
BMW has yet to release prices for the 6 Series Coupé, but expect it to be a few grand less expensive than the new 6 Series Convertible.