6 Series BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe First Drives/Reviews

[chonkoa]

Anyway ... a corporation doesn't bother if you can't afford (or not willing to afford) its product, when there is another customer somewhere in the world who is willing to pay high(er) price for the same product, being able & willing to afford it. Yep, globalization is cruel. Especially when high demand elsewhere dictates the prices. Meaning our standard is lower (eg. some goods & services are becoming out of our reach).

Thank goodness I am not running my business that way and I never hope to.

 

[EnI]

You're saying BMW never planned a direct rival to the A7 or CLS because they already offer a 4-door "hatchback" in that "segment"....the X6?

There was no plan for 6er GC ... BMW planned production version of CS instead (Project GranTurismo), positioned above 7er. 6er GC was greenlighted after ditching the CS & instead of production version of CS.The board just opted for 6er GC instead since it was a better business case in that very moment.

When it comes to direct rival to CLS (there was no A7 back then) ... there was once an idea to offer a 5er FastbackCoupe in that respective price segment (BMW officials were very fond of 2003 Opel Insignia Concept idea!). And then BMW came up with 5er GT in the end. Brilliant move, don't you think?

Thank goodness I am not running my business that way and I never hope to.

Yep. Corporations' logic & modus operandi is cruel. Individuals are just replaceable units to them. They care about you only when you are useful to them, and ditching you when you are not needed any more. As a customer, or as an employee. Same logic behind the treatment.

 

[chonkoa]

There was no plan for 6er GC ... BMW planned production version of CS instead (Project GranTurismo), positioned above 7er. 6er GC was greenlighted after ditching the CS & instead of production version of CS.The board just opted for 6er GC instead since it was a better business case in that very moment.

When it comes to direct rival to CLS (there was no A7 back then) ... there was once an idea to offer a 5er FastbackCoupe in that respective price segment (BMW officials were very fond of 2003 Opel Insignia Concept idea!). And then BMW came up with 5er GT in the end. Brilliant move, don't you think?

Thanks for confirming that the Grandcoupe is overpriced.

Yep. Corporations' logic & modus operandi is cruel. Individuals are just replaceable units to them. They care about you only when you are useful to them, and ditching you when you are not needed any more. As a customer, or as an employee. Same logic behind the treatment.

Like I said, I am glad I am not running my business that way.
I am sure you have heard of the new catch phrase" social responsibility".

 

[GreyCoupe]

This should be the 5 series...

 

[EnI]

Thanks for confirming that the Grandcoupe is overpriced.

If so, then all 6-series models are overpriced (starting with previous generation already), incl. Coupe & Cabrio. Do you really think they are? That 6er GC should be in the price range of CLS, and Coupe even lower ... just a grand or two over the 5er? The same way 3er coupe is to 3er sedan?

6-Series is positioned where it is. And it has its clientèle, obviously. So, stop whining. If the car is overpriced to you, just don't buy it. It's so simple. Go for CLS or A7 instead. You're free to do it.

Regarding social responsibility ... it has its limits. And usually the limits are of a financial nature.

 

[Betty Swollocks]

If so, then all 6-series models are overpriced (starting with previous generation already), incl. Coupe & Cabrio. Do you really think they are?

Yes they were, which is why they were a depreciation nightmare for new owners, just as the F12/F13 will be a depreciation nightmare.

That 6er GC should be in the price range of CLS, and Coupe even lower ... just a grand or two over the 5er? The same way 3er coupe is to 3er sedan?

The 5er GT is under-priced. The 6er Coupe/Cabrio/GC are over-priced.

 

[Deckhook]

If so, then all 6-series models are overpriced (starting with previous generation already), incl. Coupe & Cabrio. Do you really think they are? That 6er GC should be in the price range of CLS, and Coupe even lower ... just a grand or two over the 5er? The same way 3er coupe is to 3er sedan?

The 6er has always been way over priced, I complained about it before and continue to do so, the surprise is BMW hasn't realise this and fixed it this time round. Regardless of whether it's selling or not it's the guys that buy secondhand that determine its priced and for them they view it worth little more than a regular 5er so basically it's secondhand price mimics that of a 3 series saloon and coupe.

6-Series is positioned where it is. And it has its clientèle, obviously. So, stop whining. If the car is overpriced to you, just don't buy it. It's so simple. Go for CLS or A7 instead. You're free to do it.

Regarding social responsibility ... it has its limits. And usually the limits are of a financial nature.

Yeah totally agree, if there's dumb f***s out there willing to cough up the dosh and don't give a sh1t about losing a bucket them power to them. But I'm sure, no I'm positive that had they priced it more inline with the A7/CLS they would have sold bucket loads of them, and it would have probably caught my eye too.

 

[EnI]

But then again ... since 5er, 6er, and 7er and even Ghost are utilizing the same modular platform, then anything above 5er is overpriced? And in the next generation, when 2er & 3er will join the party, all above 2er will be overpriced?

And then, with VAG modular platforms ... anything above Skoda is overpriced?

Guys, there is an intangible value also present, not only a tangible one. Brands, trademarks, designs etc ... It's all about perception. Not just about the product. Especially in the premium segment. Otherwise many so-called premium brands will be / are redundant since their products aren't that special to justify the high price tag.

Why 6er is positioned so high? Because there is no 8er. With 8er positioned just about 7er, I'm sure 6er would be closer to 5er price wise. Mind the E63 6er - when launched - actually replaced retired & highly unsuccessful E31 8er. So to avoid the fiasco, BMW priced the large coupe below 7er, and badge it 6er.

Remember .... the Z9 GranTurismo (6er preview) was based on 7er platform (also having interior similar to 7er), and it was significantly larger than production version of E63 6er, which was placed on 5er platform then.

 

[Deckhook]

^your explanation for 6er pricing because there's no 8er has left BMW with a potential problem, if they ever decide to produce an 8 series proper then where will it be priced and would its pricing/positioning effect the 6er. The 6GC is a great looking car but until I actually see it ITF I don't believe it's of a quality beyond the A7/CLS and I do not think BMW as a brand has the kudos to compete in the same price bracket as upper Porsches.

 

[Betty Swollocks]

But then again ... since 5er, 6er, and 7er and even Ghost are utilizing the same modular platform, then anything above 5er is overpriced?

No. It's not just because of the same modular platform. The interior materials are the same in the 6 Series as they are in the 5 Series. The engines are the same. The 6 Series is around 20,000 GBP MORE than the 5 Series, yet there is less space. Just because it looks sportier, there is absolutely no justification for it to be that much more expensive than the 5 Series. Whether somebody buys it for that price is a different matter altogether. Company car buyers and self-employed people can take advantage of some good tax rules to run a 6 Series as a company car.

They don't build the 6 Series in anywhere near the numbers they build the 5 Series in. And I know for a fact that there were some unbelievably good deals for new 6 Series in the UK at least only a few months ago (Leased for 400 GBP per month, how does that sound?). The margin is much bigger on the 6 Series which allows dealers to discount more, and then log a sale (and then BMW can boast sales are better than the E63 ever had)

Clearly the Ghost is far removed from a 5 Series despite it sharing the same platform.

 

[klier]

Interior quality of 5er and 6er is most certainly not the same as far as I have experienced. Not now and not the previous generation.

 

[EnI]

No. It's not just because of the same modular platform. The interior materials are the same in the 6 Series as they are in the 5 Series. The engines are the same.

Same can apply to 7er then. Is it overpriced as well? Or is it OK, since it's roomier than 5er?

 

[chonkoa]

If so, then all 6-series models are overpriced (starting with previous generation already), incl. Coupe & Cabrio. Do you really think they are? That 6er GC should be in the price range of CLS, and Coupe even lower ... just a grand or two over the 5er? The same way 3er coupe is to 3er sedan?

6-Series is positioned where it is. And it has its clientèle, obviously. So, stop whining. If the car is overpriced to you, just don't buy it. It's so simple. Go for CLS or A7 instead. You're free to do it.

Regarding social responsibility ... it has its limits. And usually the limits are of a financial nature.

I don't know if I should take you seriously.
And you are right, if it is too expensive for me I ought to be looking at other options.

 

[Betty Swollocks]

Interior quality of 5er and 6er is most certainly not the same as far as I have experienced. Not now and not the previous generation.

Apart from a bit more leather and different "surround" to the sat nav screen, the 6 Series is exactly the same interior materials as the 5 Series. EXACTLY the same. It's just laid out differently. It certainly doesn't justify the significant price difference between the 5 Series and the 6 Series (many, many thousands of Pounds, Euros, Kroners etc.)

Same can apply to 7er then. Is it overpriced as well? Or is it OK, since it's roomier than 5er?

No, the 7 Series is significantly bigger than the 5 Series, so you can see why it would cost more.

 

[Deckhook]

^Agreed, the CLS is just a unique in this respect and whilst dearer than a regular E-class Mercedes haven't been nearly as greedy as BMW have with their 6er.

 

[K-A]

If so, then all 6-series models are overpriced (starting with previous generation already), incl. Coupe & Cabrio. Do you really think they are? That 6er GC should be in the price range of CLS, and Coupe even lower ... just a grand or two over the 5er? The same way 3er coupe is to 3er sedan?

YES they are. Pricing on the 6er is ridiculous and as nice as it is, I believe sales will pan off heavily in a relatively short time, as resale values plummet, and as the newness wears off. I'd imagine BMW would have to give heavy incentives to move them. As far as interior, I actually like the 5-Series' more, not only are they that close in shared material quality, but I prefer the 5's many extra doses of wood, and screen integration.

What BMW are doing is what M-B used to do. Greedily price-gauging customers as their cachet is selling on itself with the momentum they're generating. With the 6ers insane pricing, little else offered from the model/s which its based on, and little technical (if any) objective superiority factors over its competitors who generally have a similar (or could be superior, depending on who you are and your personal tastes) level of cachet, IMO/my prediction is that if BMW doesn't watch out and kick back, it might blow up in their faces as well (see, Mercedes-Benz, who looks like a bargain these days in comparison). As BMW start sharing cars more heavily and interchangeably, they start further separating them in terms of price? Sounds like a bad long term outlook to me.

 

[Sunny]

Regardless of whether it's selling or not it's the guys that buy secondhand that determine its priced and for them they view it worth little more than a regular 5er so basically it's secondhand price mimics that of a 3 series saloon and coupe.

Using that logic Audis are very overpriced, cause they depreciate way like a stone in a pond here. And as for previous 6 - it is doing pretty well here as far as depreciation goes - #mce_temp_url#

 

[Deckhook]

^Well that's why I say this 6GC has the US and China markets in mind, though else where in the world it might struggle due to its inflated pricing policy.

 

[Cashmere]

the V10 powered M5 / M6 have depreciated terribly. One can easily pick them up between $30k-$40k which is dirt cheap considering what they costed brand new.

 

[klier]

Apart from a bit more leather and different "surround" to the sat nav screen, the 6 Series is exactly the same interior materials as the 5 Series. EXACTLY the same. It's just laid out differently.

Ok, if you say so. Shouting helps.