It is indeed hard to find a genuine competitor able to face the BMW M6, since all other cars in this segment are either purist supersports or sports saloons much less agile in their handling and performance. Through its innovative drive concept, a power-to-weight ratio even better than on the M5, as well
as unique handling - and all this with all the features and everyday driving qualities of a large coupé - the new M6 rightly comes in a class of its own, clearly reflecting the philosophy pursued by the engineers at BMW M GmbH.
V10 power unit with racing-standard engine speeds.
Featuring BMW's truly outstanding V10 power units, the BMW M5 and M6 come with one of the rare high-speed engines in a production saloon and coupé. Within the entire BMW brand, the V10 is the technically most demanding and most powerful engine concept of the highest standard.
But power is not everything. Rather, what counts perhaps even more is acceleration and driving dynamics, two factors depending, first, on the weight of the vehicle and, second, on the power actually going to the drive wheels. This, in turn, is a function of engine torque and the overall transmission ratio.
The high engine speed concept allows an optimum transmission and final drive ratio and, as a result, means impressive power and muscle on the drive wheels at all times.
High-speed engine concept - the ideal solution.
The compact, high-speed normal aspiration power unit is the ideal solution among all strategies in achieving maximum engine output: Revving up
to a speed of 8,250 rpm, the V10 reigns supreme at engine speeds seen until recently only in fully-fledged racing cars. As a result, the engine exceeds the magical limit of 100 hp per litre, that is a level of specific output comparable to that of a racing car of the highest calibre.
The two rows of five cylinders each making up the V10 are arranged at an angle of 90°, ensuring minimum vibrations and maximum comfort, with perfect mass balance of the crankdrive. Due to high loads resulting from combustion pressure, high engine speeds and vibrations, the crankcase is a so-called bedplate structure and the extremely stiff crankshaft runs in six bearings.
Variable double-VANOS valve management ensures an optimum gas charge cycle for extremely fast valve timing. In practice this means more power,
a better torque curve, optimum engine response, enhanced fuel economy, and exhaust emissions reduced to a minimum. Again reflecting the usual
standard in motorsport, each cylinder comes with its own throttle butterfly with fully electronic control for each individual row of cylinders.