The BMW M6 is a legitimately proper Grand Touring car by all modern standards. There is no compromise, or sense of it being outdated because it was only discontinued in 2010. It also did not change much at all over it’s lifespan so the ones from 2006 are just as good as the ones from 2010. Because of this, M6s did not hold their value well at all, and they are becoming more and more affordable for normal people.   

The styling of the previous generation 6 Series was rather controversial for some, with its rather big behind. I however was always a fan of how the car looked, especially the M6 with it’s more aggressive bits. The car has a nice sleek shape to it with a touch of class thrown in that suits the character of the M6 quite well I think. It is not radically different from the normal 6 Series, but those who know what it is would never mistake it. M cars have always been a bit on the sleeper side too, so for me the M6’s looks fit the bill quite nicely.

Other than style a GT car must offer a level of great comfort for those long, high speed journeys. BMW is one of the top luxury brands in the world, so it should come as no surprise that the interior is on par with the best out there. The M6 offers all of the luxury gizmos and gadgets, featuring a heads up display in the windshield, full navigation and connectivity for everything, and BMW’s “iDrive” system (which is not hard to use at all if you can work an iPod) to name a few. It is nicely appointed with wood, carbon, or aluminum trim, leather is standard, and it has a nice size trunk for you belongings as well. The M6 is as comfortable and practical as any BMW, one of the advantages to buying a special car that is made by a more pedestrian brand.

Now that style and comfort are accounted for, all the M6 needs is some solid performance to put it right in line as a proper GT car, and it has that in spades. Under the hood there is a 5.0L V10 that makes a glorious noise when let loose. It has two power modes, 400bhp when started (for use around town), and 500hp when you activate the “M” button. Power is transferred through either a 7 speed DSG or a 6 speed manual transmission. Manual M6s are pretty hard to find in practice though, and with this being a GT car and all I would almost prefer the DSG paddle shift anyway. With full power activated the M6 can knockout 60mph from rest in just 4.1 sec and go on to a top speed of over 200mph if the factory speed limiter is removed. You also have that famous BMW driver focused feel, and M tuned handling for when the road decides to bend. Needless to say it won’t have trouble breaking most traffic laws. There is also a solid amount of aftermarket upgrades available should you feel the need for even more performance. It has the speed to outrun your average Aston Martin DB9 or Maserati Granturismo, putting it in the same league as a Ferrari Maranello or the, top level, Aston Martin DBS (both of which still cost more used than the M6 cost brand new). It is a truly world class GT car in every respect.

Here is some of that glorious V10 sound:

Brand new an M6 would set you back around 100 grand, still a bargain considering similar Ferraris and Astons cost more than double that. However, now M6s can be had for less than half that price. Not many seem to have insanely high mileage on them either, so the full price range can be used depending on your budget. Prices now seem to bottom out around $35k with some very good examples being available anywhere between there and $50k, so there is no need to spend more unless you really have the money. These prices are still falling too, so the M6 will continue to become a more realistic option for more enthusiasts over the next few years (although 35-40k is well within the range of many people out there).

In its current price range the BMW M6 is probably the best GT car out there. It offers everything you would want from it. Until the Cadillac CTS-V Coupes drop into it’s range the M6 is pretty much the obvious choice for those seeking a car of this stature. As stated above, the M6 will perform right with many more exotic cars, but since it is just a BMW at heart it will be much cheaper to maintain and likely will be more reliable. For someone seeking a car like this, it offers a much more sensible alternative to an Aston DB7, Maserati Coupe, or a Ferrari 456, all of which are also priced similarly. Sure it may be a tad more pedestrian that those, but it is also a far better package as well. As prices continue to drop, the BMW M6 becomes more and more tempting, so all of you GT lovers out there take note.

-Nick