The BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe made its first appearance to a worldwide chorus of "Where were you?" Mercedes launched its CLS-Class so long ago that it's already well into its second generation, so the world figured BMW should have had a rival before now.
In fairness, BMW hasn't been completely idle these past few years. It introduced a white-space car of its own: the 5 Series GT, which hasn't been enthusiastically received. Maybe the product planners should have shuffled the pack and launched the 6 Gran Coupe ahead of the 5 Gran Turismo. While the 5GT seemed destined for a lackluster career (many BMW execs ruefully admit they figured that all along), the 2013 6 Series Gran Coupe seems set to soar. It looks gorgeous, drives with grace, and makes you feel very special.
Click to view GalleryActually, the Gran Coupe isn't quite a direct CLS competitor. It's bigger, and the V-8 model will be more expensive than the base CLS550. Couple the large, 6 Series-like footprint with a low roof, and it has a commanding, graceful presence. Viewing it from the front or rear, you're struck by how much wider the lower body is than the greenhouse, hunkering the car down onto the road. It's less ornamented than the second-gen Mercedes CLS, but not as plain-surfaced as the Porsche Panamera. To us, that's a golden compromise - the plainness of the Panamera's flanks makes it look like a beached whale.
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