RE: BMW M6: Spotted
Tuesday 16th December 2014
Even by the standard of subtle mid-life updates, the latest BMW M6 is especially discreet. The power is identical, the "athletic and dynamic appearance" only slightly tweaked (that's the new car above) and the main change inside is an "iPhone-look Central Information Display." Whatever, we remain cheery that BMW can still justify three more 560hp V8 models in its range. Don't forget too that the Competition Package remains available for "drivers with particularly lofty sporting ambitions." Do your ambitions scale such heady heights?
Subdued exterior, anything but insideSo what better time to root around the classifieds for some old M6s with 'new' car imminent? The earliest versions of the current twin-turbo V8 car are just over £50K and there is in fact a San Marino Blue Competition Pack car at less than £60K. Going from a £100K list price (£94,180 plus £6,500 to fulfil your lofty ambitions), it has lost £5.62 for every mile driven. If you can sustain further depreciation it will surely be a fine GT sports car. There are cabrios below £60K too but, well, you just wouldn't, would you? A four-door M6 is certainly more justifiable but perhaps not in this colour scheme... Just finally, as if to prove how far M6s can depreciate, this Gran Coupe is already more than £20K under list at £76,850 with 10 recorded miles. Tempting...
Yep, still got itFinally, no investigation into BMW's big sports coupe would be complete without the M6 that never was: the M635 CSi. This is my personal favourite of all three generations, the combination of that M88 straight-six with effortlessly cool styling creating a hugely desirable car. I would actually have one over an E28 M5. Prices continue to strengthen with the best cars being offered at nearly £50K. This Motorsport Edition car is exceptionally rare but one of the more affordable at £24K thanks to its six-figure mileage. Isn't it fantastic? If you forego the M badge, this 635 CSi manual makes a strong case for a great classic you could use regularly.
BMW M6: Spotted
Spot the difference M6 facelift prompts a browse of the classifieds for secondhand bargains
Subdued exterior, anything but inside
The very cheapest of the old V10 E63 M6s seem to have bottomed out at around £15K and this 2006 car looks great at £20K with relatively few miles. Yes it won't be a cheap car to run (see the full PHer insight here), but it possesses an engine the like of which we won't see again; isn't that good enough?
Yep, still got it
So there is a new BMW M6 if you really must be the first name on the V5. But there are plenty of other ways to scratch the M6 itch should you be so tempted!
BMW M6 COUPE (2013)
Engine: 4,395cc V8, twin-turbo, direct-injection
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto (M DCT), rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 575@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 501@1,500rpm
0-62mph: 4.1 sec
Top speed: 155mph (limited)
Weight: 1,925kg (EU, unladen)
MPG: 28.5mpg (NEDC combined)
CO2: 232g/km
Price: £100,680 (£94,180 for standard M6, Competition Pack £6,500)
Discussion
Decent looking car, especially by recent standards. On the road surrounded by other cars they look truly enormous - I saw one parked next to a C215 Mercedes CL a few days ago and it made the CL look tiny. 
ETA: Obviously not the facelift but I'm not sure I could tell the difference without seeing them side-by-side anyway.
ETA: Obviously not the facelift but I'm not sure I could tell the difference without seeing them side-by-side anyway.
Edited by kambites on Tuesday 16th December 11:51
I did a few hundred miles in one a while back. Everything about the car is amazing except the gear box. It was like having a learner driver to the shifting for me. M6 owners, is this a calibration thing? Does it get better? Can you configure it to behave differently? Previously I had a manual 645ci which was far better.
mackay45 said:
Big discounts are available on new M6s (or they were before facelift, I don't know about now) so no-one should really have been paying list price anyway I don't think.
BMW are offering £16.5k contribution and 0% finance on their website at the moment, on coupe, cab and GC...BMWill said:
"Just finally, as if to prove how far M6s can depreciate, this Gran Coupe is already more than £20K under list at £76,850 with 10 recorded miles. Tempting..."
The car is VAT qualifying? Stick another 20% on top and watch the temptation wither away in a flash!
= )
I thought that meant if you meet the requirements you can claim the vat back off the sale price not its plus the vat maybe someone can put me rightThe car is VAT qualifying? Stick another 20% on top and watch the temptation wither away in a flash!
= )
Fantastic looking cars but 1950KG 
Makes a lot more sense to me as a 650i, and very possibly a convertible. It's much too big and heavy to be a sharp drivers tool and trying to make it one will just make it worse at what is IS going to be good at - a lardy comfortable GT. I've been watching the values of these with interest.
Makes a lot more sense to me as a 650i, and very possibly a convertible. It's much too big and heavy to be a sharp drivers tool and trying to make it one will just make it worse at what is IS going to be good at - a lardy comfortable GT. I've been watching the values of these with interest.
leedsutd1 said:
I thought that meant if you meet the requirements you can claim the vat back off the sale price not its plus the vat maybe someone can put me right
I believe that is correct - the price as stated is what a private customer will pay; "VAT qualifying" simply means that someone purchasing it purely as a business asset could claim back VAT against the purchase. kambites said:
leedsutd1 said:
I thought that meant if you meet the requirements you can claim the vat back off the sale price not its plus the vat maybe someone can put me right
I believe that is correct - the price as stated is what a private customer will pay; "VAT qualifying" simply means that someone purchasing it purely as a business asset could claim back VAT against the purchase. dme123 said:
Fantastic looking cars but 1950KG
Makes a lot more sense to me as a 650i, and very possibly a convertible. It's much too big and heavy to be a sharp drivers tool and trying to make it one will just make it worse at what is IS going to be good at - a lardy comfortable GT. I've been watching the values of these with interest.
If your that worried about the weight of a car then buy a Caterham. Of course you won't have any of the luxuries or practicality but at least you won't be worrying about it being overweight?? Or secondly just get the M4 which is lighter and going to be more sharper so you only have to lose out on space. Or better yet if you're really interested in the M6 just go and try one rather than worry about the vital stat's. If you drive it and like it then what the heck would the quoted weight have to do with anything anyway??Makes a lot more sense to me as a 650i, and very possibly a convertible. It's much too big and heavy to be a sharp drivers tool and trying to make it one will just make it worse at what is IS going to be good at - a lardy comfortable GT. I've been watching the values of these with interest.
I like the M6 especially in Gran Coupe form, it's the only 4 door coupe that doesn't look awkward to my eye's. They are massive though so it's a shame the 4 series coupe doesn't look quite so well proportioned as it's bigger brother
IrishAsal said:
I did a few hundred miles in one a while back. Everything about the car is amazing except the gear box. It was like having a learner driver to the shifting for me. M6 owners, is this a calibration thing? Does it get better? Can you configure it to behave differently? Previously I had a manual 645ci which was far better.
I bought a pre-reg'd F12 M6 Cabrio in December 2013. The gearbox was very good, instant shifts, exactly as I wanted it to in the semi-automatic mode. I was never quite happy with the automatic mode, it never quite drove as I wanted it to. Ended up too laggy or too aggressive. Are you referring to manual mode or auto mode? What didn't you like about it?As for the depreciation, well I lost £13k on it in 8 months even with the discount of buying it pre-reg.... though I did 15k miles in it during the time I had it.
I found it a pretty unexciting car though, hence why I sold it. If I was cruising along I'd rather be in the Range Rover (the cabrio M6 is surprising loud, tonnes of road noise), and if I was wanting to have fun I'd rather be in a sports car - hence why I sold it and bought a used F430 Spider instead.
Overall one of my least successful car purchases, total waste of money and not very special, at least it was handsome.
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