Before the debut of the BMW Gran Coupe concept last year, it seemed that the BMW 6 Series Coupé was the only one left to carry the flag of a true, two-door coupé among the German premium brands. But to keep up with the competition, the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe four door model is being planned, so that the Mercedes CLS and Audi A7 don’t run away with the market, if they haven’t already done so given the enormous head start they’ve got in this segment.
Stretching the model to four doors, the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe will get the 5 Series wheelbase and platform, and not the shorter 6 Series; although it should still be similar in style to the rest of the 6 Series family with a low and wide stance, making it a coupe and not a sedan.
The new model will have a B-pillar but will feature frameless door windows. This will probably remain a design aspect open to discussion when the car is revealed. The sloping, low roofline of the Gran Coupe Concept will stay and according to the initial reports at Motor Trend, it will be even lower than the Mercedes CLS. The engine lineup is likely to be the same as the rest of the 6 Series with the three-litre twin-scroll turbo model and the twinturbo V8.
The jury is currently out as to whether BMW will keep the Gran Coupe badge at this stage. The name accurately reflects the type of car this is, but possibly highlights just how late to market BMW is on this front.
While little is known about the technical details of the BMW Gran Coupé Concept which was presented at the Beijing motor show, it’s likely that the prototype is a preview of the style that the new BMW 8 Series will have. The project explores just how much sports style you can get on a sedan, with the concept a whole ten centimetres lower than the BMW 7 Series.
The Gran Coupé Concept looks like it might have the Mercedes CLS in its sights and could prove to be a competitor to the Audi A7, too. Below, you can see the full gallery as well as original drawings and renderings of the model, elements of which may be adopted by the new 6 Series in the future.