BMW 6 Series History
BMW 6 Series History
Introduction
The BMW 6 Series is a line of luxury grand tourer cars, produced from 1976 to 1989, and then again beginning in 2003 through present day. The 6 Series is available as a coupe or a convertible.
Early History
The first 6 Series was the E24, launched in 1976. It was originally derived from the first generation 7 Series, the BMW E23. It was introduced as the successor to the E9 coupe, but was safer than the E9, meeting new U.S. federal crash and rollover standards. BMW stopped producing the E24 in 1989, and the 6 Series wouldn’t be seen again until 2003.
Recent History
In 2003, the second-generation 6 Series was introduced to the market, ending its 14-year hiatus. The E63 placed more emphasis on performance and less on practicality, and was priced similarly to the flagship 7 Series.
The third-generation 6 Series is comprised of the F12 (convertible) and F13 (Coupe), and was released at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show as a 2012 model year. Today, the engine consists of turbocharged petrol and diesel.
BMW also released the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe (the F06) at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. The F06 is a four door rival to the Audi A7 and Mercedes-Benz CLS.
Reception of the BMW 6 Series
Since its redesign for the 2012 model, the 6 Series is considered to be the perfect marriage of sport with luxury. The 6 Series is a high performer with plenty of power – but doesn’t cut any corners when it comes to quality materials and a handsome exterior.