Hot on the heels of the new M5, and taking lightweight design solutions from the M3 CSL, the new M6 combines supercar presence with Grand Touring potential. Joining an exclusive club, the fourth new M car of the decade sets a new performance benchmark for a production car. The beauty of the M6 is also its ability to comfortably crush kilometres on a cross-country cruise.
   Like its predecessor - the legendary 1985 M635CSi - the new M6 resets the sports GT benchmark, with supercar performance, dispatching the zero to 62mph sprint in 4.6 seconds and achieving a limited top speed of 155mph. If derestricted, the M6 would be capable of a 200mph+ top speed. During tests at the famous Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit, the new M6 regularly clocked eight minutes lap times. These rarefied performance statistics are, however, backed up by 'real world' economy and efficiency - the new M6 delivers a combined EU fuel consumption of 19.0mpg and a CO2 rating of 357g/km.
   Like the M5, the new M6 also uses BMW's new third-generation seven speed Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) with Drivelogic. Drivelogic offers the choice of 11 different change patterns, depending on the speed of change required. Six change patterns are available in the manual mode and five in the 'automatic' mode, in which the gearbox will automatically select the most appropriate gear depending on driving conditions.