Admit it — when you think of the BMW 6 Series, it’s the long prow of the mid-80s 633 or 635 CSi nosing into your brain, not the oddly-shaped 2019 640i xDrive Gran Turismo. That sleek Reagan-era coupe can continue to roam throughout your mind for years to come, as it won’t have any competition.
For the 2020 model year, the last bearers of the 6 Series designation fade from the American landscape, joined in their vanishing act by an unloved 3 Series four-door with a liftback.
The 3 and 6 Series Gran Turismos were recent introductions to the BMW lineup, donning four doors and a sloping hatchback body that upped the utility factor a bit while lowering sex appeal immensely. All-wheel drive came standard, but sales did not.
With a new 3 Series here and the resurrected 8 series taking the place of all things luxurious and sporty at the top end, the GTs and the 6 Series as a whole don’t make much sense. Like most automakers, BMW wants fewer build configurations and a leaner business. The 6 Series’ demise was foretold by the loss of the more traditional coupe and convertible variants, leaving only the GT and Gran Coupe (actually a sedan, regardless of what anyone says) as oddball pickings.
Not needed, BMW feels — the new 8 Series, in gran coupe, droptop, and coupe guise, will scratch the itch of high-end buyers looking for something exclusive and sexy.
The 6 Series Gran Coupe and 3 Series GT are already nowhere to be found on Bimmer’s consumer website, while the 6 Series GT remains listed as a 2019 model. July sales date shows the automaker moving just 80 6 Series vehicles in the U.S., with sales over the first seven months of the year down 58.4 percent. The disappearance is already well underway.
As for the 3 Series, the disappearance of the GT (first announced in May) probably won’t hurt the lineup in any significant way, what with the revamped 2020 sedan now available in 330i and M340i versions. 3 Series sales rose 6.5 percent, year over year, in July, though the model line’s year-to-date tally amounts to a 10.3 percent loss. We’ll have to wait and see if the new generation lifts the model’s fortunes over a longer term.
[Images: BMW]
A car shaped like a 1980 Chevy Citation. What could go wrong?
The Citation’s shape isn’t what hurt it. Personally, I liked it then and now. Baking in the 1980 GM build quality would be bad, though.
You mean this one is better than a Citation? I’m dubious.
Never thought about that. But you are CORRECT!
“BMW wants fewer build configurations and a leaner business”
For their sake, I hope so. I lost count at 30 distinct models on their US website. That shotgun approach adds costs faster than it adds sales.
Most post-Y2K examples of the 6-Series came with a V8. Unfortunately, BMW’s post-Y2K V8s have the half-life of a carbon-8 isotope.
“BMW’s post-Y2K V8s have the half-life of a carbon-8 isotope.”
.0000000000002 nanoseconds? Harsh.
Good riddance.
“Admit it — when you think of the BMW 6 Series, it’s the long prow of the mid-80s 633 or 635 CSi nosing into your brain, not the oddly-shaped 2019 640i xDrive Gran Turismo. ”
You misspelled “Honda Accord Crosstour”.
@jalop1991-
Great comment ! And Accurate.
The 6 Series’ mortal sin was that it was too low to the ground to offset its dorkiness for todays consumer.
Well these are bound to be future collectables…
… said no one ever.
I never understood selling any of the GTs in America.
The American consumer has spoken and wants X5s. The richer American consumer has spoken and wants X7s.
Farewell my friends, I didn’t know you even existed. It is a cruel world – you will not be missed, hardly anyone will notice.
And nothing of value was lost
Jazz hands for BMW!
The M6 Gran Coupe is such a sexy, low-slung sedan. Sadly too heavy and unreliable for my tastes but they look gorgeous as desktop wallpaper:
http://www.bmwcoop.com/wp-content/images/2013/10/BMW-M6-GranCoupe-by-3D-Design-1.jpg
http://www.zercustoms.com/news/images/BMW/G-Power-BMW-M6-Gran-Coupe-4.jpg
Contrary to the spirit of the article, one of the only modern BMWs that ever struck me aesthetically was a 6 series coupe, an actual, 2 door coupe. Judging from the difficulty finding a photograph and the tone of the comments, nobody has seen it on the road either. It was an excellent looking car in the metal. The 8 series due to replace it looks like a Mustang for some reason, maybe it’ll look nice too though. They do have far too many model lines which are barely different, though the new 8 seems to have the same plan.
BMW as of late has released some questionable models. I am no automotive market analyst, but I think I could safely say that cars like the 3er GT, 5er GT/6er GT would never sell well.
I am curious how the new 1er will sell. It is a very ugly car.
“I am curious how the new 1er will sell. It is a very ugly car”
Well, maybe that luxurious 3 cylinder turbo and the front-wheel-drive will make up for the looks.
I doubt this will matter to the majority of prospective buyers.
Given the hatred often expressed for SUVs by TTAC commenters, it is funny how little sympathy commenters are having for this attempt by BMW to create a car alternative to SUVs, with the GTs offering somewhat higher seating and roofline and versatile cargo capacity than cars, but also better aerodynamics, fuel economy, and center of gravity than SUVs. Read the BMW forums and the owners of the 3 and 6 GT love them for their great driving dynamics and utility. Savage Geese has a great review of the 6 GT that starts skeptical and ends with his getting it.
As someone wrote about the misnamed 3 Series GT and 5 Series GT; they look like your aunt Edna.
I saw exactly one 640i xDrive 4.0 Gran Turismo on the road a few weeks ago. I thought, “Wow that exists here in the states. However I do see plenty of 6 series coupes, convertibles and Gran Coupes around.
Personally I like the 4 Series Gran Coupe since its is an attractive, lean nicely balanced sport hatch. It’s a nice practical alternative to the bloated CUV’s like the 4 door hatch on stilts X4 and X6.
Funny how this posse is going to cream themselves over a VW GTI or some 2.0-bearing SUV contraption and yet a 640GT is faster and quieter and the best second hand value out there.
By the time a 6-series deprecates to GTI money, it’s 7-10 years old, has gone through two owners, and is getting towards 100,000 miles. I wouldn’t touch that with a 10,000 foot pole. If you want to, then…vaya con Dios.
By the time it has actually depreciated to a reasonable level it will also cost you about a VW GTI’s worth to maintain.
I just don’t think they’re cheap enough for what they are. But I do agree that deep down they’re still a great RWD BMW platform and as such better for the car world than anything VW has ever brought us.