BMW M6 Gran Coupe unveiled

* BMW shows off four-door M6 Gran Coupe * Joins Coupe and Convertible M6 variants * 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds; on sale from spring 2013...

BMW M6 Gran Coupe unveiled

The new BMW M6 Gran Coupe is the third high-powered M version to join the company's 6 Series range.

The latest M6 gets the same 552bhp, twin-turbo V8 engine as the M6 coupe and M6 Convertible, and can hit 62mph in just 4.2 seconds.

It will make its debut at the Detroit motor show in January, and provide BMW with a rival for cars such as the Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG, Porsche Panamera Turbo and forthcoming Audi RS7.

To set it aside from the other M6 variants, the M6 Gran Coupe comes with bespoke features such as a carbonfibre-reinforced plastic roof and an M-styled grille. It is distinguished from less powerful 6 Series models by its deeper front bumper, wider front wheelarches, wider sills and 20-inch alloy wheels.

Inside, the front occupants get M Sport seats with merino leather upholstery, while the rear can be specified with either two or three seats. The backs can be folded in a 60/40 split to boost the 460-litre boot to a total of 1265 litres.

The 4.4-litre V8 engine is paired with a dual-clutch gearbox that comes with launch control for maximum acceleration, and stop-start technology to boost efficiency. The M6 Gran Coupe has average economy of 28.5mpg, and emits 232g/km of CO2.

The driving experience will benefit from a specially tuned Dynamic-Damper Control system that varies the engine response, the chassis set-up and gearshift speeds.

The M6 Gran Coupe will cost around 97,000, and order books will open in March 2013. The first cars will reach customers in June.

Read the full BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe review >>

By Tom Webster