For years and years, BMW fans asked the German car maker to bring back the 6 Series, whose production was stopped in 1989.
In 2003 it returned and, in 2005 it was unleashed with a mighty V10 engine in the form of the M6.

The first generation of the 6 Series didn’t have an M6. It had an M635 CSI, which was almost the same thing. But the first, true, M6 was introduced at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. It was more than an upgraded version of a 6 Series. It was almost a completely different car. It shared some parts with the less-powered versions, but most of it was different.

For starters, the roof was made out of carbon fiber to lower the center of gravity. The front and rear bumpers were different and so were the side sills. A different set of wheels and a quad-exhaust completed the package. Like all the M-vehicles, it didn’t have any big wing on the trunk, but there was an underbody aerodynamic package to increase downforce. And it didn’t matter that the overall design was not one of the best in the company’s history.

Inside, the M6 was available in a 2+2 configuration. The front bucket-seats featured high bolstering to keep the occupants in place while hard cornering. The leather upholstery was carefully crafted to enhance the luxury. The M6 was supposed to be more of a GT than a sports car, but it managed to be more on the performance side.

The technology inside was at the top level. It started with a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V10 engine mated to a 7-speed SMG (single-clutch automated gearbox) fitted as standard in Europe. A 6-speed manual was available in the U.S. The suspension was stiffened to cope with the high-performance engine.