BMW 6 Series Gran Touring Due 2014. The Gran Scheme of things.

[SCOTT26]

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The Gran Scheme of things.
The BMW 6er Gran Touring.

When designing the BMW 6er Gran Coupe alongside the replacements for the BMW 6er Coupe and Cabrio.
Creativity inspired another design off-shoot mainly a Shooting Brake variant of the then upcoming Gran Coupe.
Finished in scale format from the initial sketch , BMW had a proposal ready by the time the Gran Coupe Concept premiered in Beijing in April 2010.

Conceived as a much lower Touring in relation to the 3er and 5er Tourings.
6er Gran Touring like the 6er Gran Coupe is much lower than their Touring counterparts. A shallow glasshouse enables the rear of the car to be more dynamically lower whilst still incorporating the sleek proportions of the Gran Coupe.

The 6er Gran Touring has now reached the crticial point in its gestation, it is destined to follow the Gran Coupe into production following a preview in the guise of a semi-production car as a concept.

BMW see potential in the Gran Touring , especially as an "alternative" especially in markets where the wagon market (USA) is all but dead. Spawned off the current matrix and architecture under todays 5,6 and 7 models. The Gran Touring follows BMW's creative approach at new niches.

6er Gran Touring will bring the 6er family to four models and position the 6er range as a more complete sporting family.
The addition of the Gran Touring is also beneficial in terms of another profitable model developed from an existing platform.

Of course the genetics could be carried over to the forthcoming BMW 4er Gran Coupe - A car described as one of the most beautiful BMW's ever.

With potential for a BMW 4er Gran Touring, mimicing the 6er family and bringing the 3er family to eight models. Potential for a 2er model is also apparent if BMW move forward on a four door Coupe model of next years 2er Coupe.

The potential also lies for a high Performance M6 Gran Touring to join the upcoming M6 Gran Coupe or even an M Performance 650d which will arrive early in 2013 for the Coupe and Gran Coupe models.

An M6 Gran Touring will allow BMW M to offer a high performance alternative to an SAV and a true M wagon that would effectively succeed the E61 M5 Touring which in some way has been replaced by the M550d Touring as a sort of "Sign of the times"

Space and flexibility will not be as grand or capacious as a regular Touring, but it is thought that customers for this kind of vehicle would mainly use it as a small holdall. For example - transportation to sporting events and cross-continental touring at the weekend.

The BMW 6er Gran Touring is expected on the market in 2014.

BMW has already trademarked the car's "Gran Touring" designation.

Automotor und Sport.de have captured in essence the appearance of the 6er Gran Touring especially in relation to the rear end dynamic roof line , taut proportions and shallower rear quarter light incorporating the typical BMW Hofmeister kick.

[ddk632]

All these new models in the 6-Series line up are really shaking up my idea of what the 6-Series stands for.

With the Bangle 6-Series, the car was mean looking and beautiful, and inspiring, and there was (and still is) nothing like it on the road. It was a sports/GT, coupe or convertible, with the flagship M6. Every time I used to see one, I would stare and admire it. Still do, even with the new 6er body style out and about, the previous gen still turns my head every time. It is that unique.

Fast forward to today, with the 6 GC out, and now a 6 GT "Gran Touring" on the way, it just feels like the 6er lineup is getting watered down. Don't get me wrong, the 6 GC is a work of art, as is the new 6er coupe and vert. Can't comment on looks for a 6 GT "Gran Touring" as I have yet to see it except for a few renders. But my gut tells me adding all these models waters down the 6-Series heritage.

I mean we had an 8-Series and it was the most badass BMW GT coupe of its time. People still talk about the 8-Series and, I think, will never stop. There was no 8-Series wagon, just the 8-Series Coupe GT car - V8 or V12; that was it.

With the previous generation, I thought of the 6-Series and M6 as being the closest modern BMW to the old 8-Series (except the one-off Z8 from early in this century). It's hard to continue looking at the 6-Series in that light when I know there is a wagon on the way.

I know the Europeans love their wagons, and I respect their utility and all that. I just was hoping we could keep the flagship BMW Coupe/Convertible lineup special and focused.

I guess I will have to wait for the i8 to come out to fulfill my dreams of a flagship BMW sports car, one that looks to the future and not the past.

BMW - Please don't make an i8 wagon...

[southern6er22]

+1 on the i8 wagon and watering down of the 6.

At least they're keeping the price point similarly high to keep the exclusivity. I know that BMW had to respond with a 4-door coupe to keep up with the others, but I think a GL competitor and a supercar would be the next additions to the lineup instead of 4-8 models per Series and all of this "if there's a number, we have a 'Series' to hold the name."

[Wolf]

needs a couple more rear doors also... It looks like a freight train. But yes I would buy a 100K coupe that has 2 cramped doors and a huge boot. Why, I would definitely use it to haul useless shit around instead of using my 3er wagon... BMW, and I know you are reading this site, but right now you are trying too hard. We can tell.

I would bet that a BMW supercar will sell more than this freight train. Scott, no offense, but you are bringing bad news for us lately.

[ddk632]

BTW, does anyone know why they call this wagon body style Shooting Brake, other than to avoid calling it a wagon?

[mlai]

I buy the gran coupe concept. but I just don't get why BMW would want to make that in station wagon form!

[Bond5M5]

SCOTT26, I remember I read somewhere you are BMW insider, right? Will there be engine upgrade for 535i F10 in September this year?

[m630]

who the hell is running the madhouse at bmw these days, are they kidding us with this madness? yet another fail.

[wdeerfield]

There will be no longer a need for the 7 series at this rate. So many 6 series version, the 7 is now pointless.

[aajami]

Thanks for the update, Scott.

I'm anxiously awaiting more information on the F36/F86.

[southern6er22]

Originally Posted by wdeerfield

There will be no longer a need for the 7 series at this rate. So many 6 series version, the 7 is now pointless.

The 7er still beats every other BMW in terms of rear comfort. The 6 GC has the luxury, but it doesn't stand a chance against the 750Li when it comes to headroom and legroom. I'd agree that the 750i (normal wheelbase) is going to lose sales to the GC for sure - but I've never understood why you'd buy a non-L 750. At that price, the extra money is negligible, and, while I don't have first hand experience with this, I don't think the driving dynamics are all that different between a 750i and a 750Li if equipped with ARS, etc. to improve handling.

[Harold Wood]

One I made earlier, worried about the price of an M and Alpina version though!

[ATX78703]

fugly and pointless, just knee jerk response to the CLS shooting brake just released (hmm, what a coincidence)... shame b/c the 6gc looks so good....

[JasonCSU]

Originally Posted by ddk632

BTW, does anyone know why they call this wagon body style Shooting Brake, other than to avoid calling it a wagon?

Typically, a shooting brake is a two-door wagon/hatch. Here's far more information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_brake

[fndrsn]

Don't really think it's a good idea, people buy estates chiefly for the practicality, and why buy a 6 Gran Touring when it'll be more expensive and likely less practical then a cheaper F11?

Oh well, if they do go for this at least it'll look better than that hideous CLS Shooting Brake.

[mkoesel]

With the 5GT already there I am surprised they are considering this. It seems as thought it would really crowd things for BMW. I had previously thought of the new CLS Shooting Brake as a (much better looking, as it happens) answer to the 5GT. I didn't expect BMW to counter with a new model, I expected them to rethink the 5GT for next generation and give us something that really turns heads for the right reason.

Do we need 5 hatchbacks on the same platform?

5 Series Touring
5 Series GT
6 Series Shooting Brake
X5
X6

[bimmerjph]

Well that was quick. I thought BMW would sit for 10 years and let Audi and Mercedes get a nice foothold on the wagoncoupesedan market. That being said I hope we get it here.

[Jblack4083]

This is getting out of hand...

[NYe60chrisIU]

what none of you understand is that if BMW makes it, people will buy it.

[MDaniel]

Brutal... Beautiful.. but i wouldn't buy it! I prefere the GranCoupe.

[SCOTT26]

When testing for the Gran Coupe with prospective customers many told us that if there was a Touring they would buy both.
So you can see the potential to why BMW are moving forward with one.

If you take two markets for example one being the US, wagon sales are dead , the only mid-size wagon that remains is the E-Klasse T-Modell which is being cannibalized by the all-new ML. So much so that the improvement E-Klasse T-Modell due towards the end of the year is not being federalized for the US.
The 3er Touring moves into a market in which Audi have already removed the A4 Avant due to the Q5, X3 and X1 are there to be the equivalent SAV model should sales falter. If the Touring underperforms it will be gone by the first LCi.

Then there is China which is beginning to see a market for the Estate car or activity car, so much so that BMW introduced the 5er Touring recently.
Estate car demand is growing in China whilst collapsing in the US in the shadow of the SUV.

Gran Touring models could perform more a sporting luxury role than conventional hauler. Its appearance will conform to the looks of a sports car with more flexibility something that Gran Coupe customers needed more from the 6er because of family and ease of transport for business consultants.

The Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake is a car aimed at Europe essentially.
And so would the 6er Gran Touring , not everybody needs the flexibility and capaciousness of a Touring and will resort to these types of cars if in some cases just as status. The 6er Gran Touring will also provide a back drop to when BMW decide how to progress the 5er Gran Turismo.

[kaishang]

Looks like a 5-series for I'm assuming about $10k extra.