M5 vs M6

[Mpire]

is M6 completely a different car from M5?
why is M6 nearly 20k more than M5? anything in M6 that makes superior than M5 that can justify 20k price difference?

[ManhattanBMW]

Originally Posted by mpirestate

is M6 completely a different car from M5?
why is M6 nearly 20k more than M5? anything in M6 that makes superior than M5 that can justify 20k price difference?

The biggest differences are aesthetic, whether it is M6 Coupe or Grand Coupe. Personally, I feel the M6 interior is bit more upscale in appearance and execution, and I feel the M6 is a better looking, and the more sporty, car. The M5 is more roomy. For me it was worth the extra money.

[SkippyBMWM4]

Now that I just bought the M5, I've had both. I do feel that there are pretty significant differences.

Most notably, the biggest difference is seating position and interior room and comfort. The M6 is very low, you sit on the floor. In fact it sits lower than the M4 too. It's a bit more confining.

For a big Coupe or very big Gran Coupe there is limited space everywhere but the front seats.

The M6 is the "sexier" design and the lower stance does give it a slightly lower center of gravity, which in turn lets the car handle a little better at the limit.

The interior of the M6 is absolutely more luxurious from a design and material standpoint, although both cars have the exact same level of equipment.

[bruza]

Dont know why but I never really liked the M6. The M5 being $20k cheaper is just a "bonus".

[bmellion]

I owned both. The M6 is just too cramped for a daily driver. Kept the M5

[PeteM6]

I've had both. While the M6s interior is a bit nicer, it really doesn't justify the 20k. M5 is a much better daily driver.

[13M5F10]

My cousin picked up an M6 after trading the M4 in and he wishes he got an M5.

The motors are the same so the differences will be the aesthetics which IMO do not justify the $20k mark up. Yes the interior is nice but the M5 if customized can be just as nice if you add the CF trim, and Moreno leather.

For me, I would prefer M5 over M6 for one reason only. The M5 stands out next to any other 5 series. The M6 looks like a 650i, very minor differences in the body style.

[ChrisNich117]

M5 has a better seating position and a better seat. Overall it's a better daily driver. The m6 weighs a bit less and you can feel a slight difference in the handling. If you're looking at the coupe you'll get the carbon fiber roof which is awesome. Performance wise they are almost identical unless you're going for a 2016 with the updated comp package and then you're bumped up to 600ps as opposed to the m5's 575.

[stealth.pilot]

I think the M6 is a great car if you want an M5 with 2 doors. However in my opinion if you are going to sacrifice the practicality of a sedan, you should get something which actually drives much better than a sedan - e.g. Mercedes AMG-GT, Jaguar F-Type, Porsche 911. The Jag and the Mercedes give up very little comfort/luxury while providing a lighter more agile package which really beats the hell out of an M5 when it comes to cornering.

[M6-Coupe]

Originally Posted by mpirestate

is M6 completely a different car from M5?
why is M6 nearly 20k more than M5? anything in M6 that makes superior than M5 that can justify 20k price difference?

M6 is not completely a different car from M5 since both are sharing the majority of mechanical parts (Engine, Transmission, Suspension, Differential, Brake system,...). Also they both are almost the same size and the same weight too; however M6 is much lower and has the lowest height in all M cars (including M3/M4)... BUT IMO M6 Coupe is more sexy and more sporty. One of the reason M6 is more expensive, is the amount of features are standard (in M6) while are optional in M5 or are not available at all. For example, Soft close doors and Adaptive Full LED are standard for 2016 M6 while they are optional for 2016 M5.CF Roof for sure costs more and is not available for M5. Furthermore in case of M6 GC even the CF diffuser and 20" rims are standard. So basically about 10k of 20k difference is because of the cost of extra material and the rest is marketing (sales) strategy...
As an M6 owner, the reason I chose M6 was because I needed coupe. If I wanted to have a sedan car, M5 was my choice.

Originally Posted by ManhattanBMW

... Personally, I feel the M6 interior is bit more upscale in appearance and execution, and I feel the M6 is a better looking, and the more sporty, car. The M5 is more roomy.

Agree

[M6-Coupe]

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

I think the M6 is a great car if you want an M5 with 2 doors. However in my opinion if you are going to sacrifice the practicality of a sedan, you should get something which actually drives much better than a sedan - e.g. Mercedes AMG-GT, Jaguar F-Type, Porsche 911. The Jag and the Mercedes give up very little comfort/luxury while providing a lighter more agile package which really beats the hell out of an M5 when it comes to cornering.

Well, I may go for AMG GTS as the next car next year, but if 2 years ago I had option to take one of those (AMG GTS, 911, Jag) over M6, I think still I would go for M6... The way this car puts the power down (beside the M DCT and Active M Differential) is amazing.

[gblansten]

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

I think the M6 is a great car if you want an M5 with 2 doors. However in my opinion if you are going to sacrifice the practicality of a sedan, you should get something which actually drives much better than a sedan - e.g. Mercedes AMG-GT, Jaguar F-Type, Porsche 911. The Jag and the Mercedes give up very little comfort/luxury while providing a lighter more agile package which really beats the hell out of an M5 when it comes to cornering.

Well said

[E90potentialbuyer]

I drove both the M6 GC and M5 and ended up getting the M5. Their is really no practical space in the back which makes the car pointless. It looks better than M5, but then again if you are fine with the jus having the usable seats as 2 seats up front, then what's wrong with 911 or AMG-GTS. AMG-GTS looks even better and I bet is a more fun ride (haven't driven one but its in my radar for 2nd car soon).

M6 GC is still a damn good car - don't get me wrong. I just can't justify having useless back seats (have a family). But again it might for you if you have different needs.

[ManhattanBMW]

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

I think the M6 is a great car if you want an M5 with 2 doors. However in my opinion if you are going to sacrifice the practicality of a sedan, you should get something which actually drives much better than a sedan - e.g. Mercedes AMG-GT, Jaguar F-Type, Porsche 911. The Jag and the Mercedes give up very little comfort/luxury while providing a lighter more agile package which really beats the hell out of an M5 when it comes to cornering.

Good point, but AMG-GT only has 2 seats (I have used the back seats for short trips), and the Jaguar F-Type and Porsche 911 have no real trunk space, which I need. And the M6 goes like more like a 911 turbo once it is moving, rather than a normal 911. I have also driven both an M5 and M6 at VIR, and the M6 was much more capable on the track, and the aerodynamics allow the M6 to have a higher top speed than the M5 if there is no electronic limit. So I would not trade my M6 for any of those cars, and look forward to the next generation M6.

[lsturbointeg]

Some good info here! especially coming from previous and current 6 owners

[shellbmb]

Will booster seats fit comfortably in the back of a M6GC? I don't need a ton of room, but do need 4 doors. My kids are small and require just a booster seat right now. My M5 lease is up next year and I'm looking at a M6GC or X6M if I stay in the BMW family.

[Vic55]

Originally Posted by M6-Coupe

M6 is not completely a different car from M5 since both are sharing the majority of mechanical parts (Engine, Transmission, Suspension, Differential, Brake system,...). Also they both are almost the same size and the same weight too; however M6 is much lower and has the lowest height in all M cars (including M3/M4)... BUT IMO M6 Coupe is more sexy and more sporty. One of the reason M6 is more expensive, is the amount of features are standard (in M6) while are optional in M5 or are not available at all. For example, Soft close doors and Adaptive Full LED are standard for 2016 M6 while they are optional for 2016 M5.CF Roof for sure costs more and is not available for M5. Furthermore in case of M6 GC even the CF diffuser and 20" rims are standard. So basically about 10k of 20k difference is because of the cost of extra material and the rest is marketing (sales) strategy...
As an M6 owner, the reason I chose M6 was because I needed coupe. If I wanted to have a sedan car, M5 was my choice.


Agree

Properly said. As an owner of both at the same time in 2013 did anyone mention that the M6 is the better handling and faster car. The disparity is not huge but its prevalent. I don't think performance necessarily justifies the bump in price but its meaningful for some.

[Phatcat]

Originally Posted by Vic55

Properly said. As an owner of both at the same time in 2013 did anyone mention that the M6 is the better handling and faster car. The disparity is not huge but its prevalent. I don't think performance necessarily justifies the bump in price but its meaningful for some.

And this year BMW made the M6 even more special by offering a 600 HP CP package, where as it is not available on the M5.

[ice7]

Good points made and agree in most. I currently own both and one thing I do notice is that the M6 hides its weight well as it doesn't feel as big as it looks. The interior of the M6 appears to be more driver centric and more sporty and luxurious compared to the 5 obviously. The seats on the M5 are definitely more comfortable and easily can fit 4 adults maybe even 5 including luggages on the back (I've done it ). It really comes down to preferences and needs. Can't go wrong here. Both are great looking cars but IMO the M6 design is

[RPiM5]

Originally Posted by ice7

Good points made and agree in most. I currently own both and one thing I do notice is that the M6 hides its weight well as it doesn't feel as big as it looks. The interior of the M6 appears to be more driver centric and more sporty and luxurious compared to the 5 obviously. The seats on the M5 are definitely more comfortable and easily can fit 4 adults maybe even 5 including luggages on the back (I've done it ). It really comes down to preferences and needs. Can't go wrong here. Both are great looking cars but IMO the M6 design is

I was going to recommend that Ice7 make a post here since he currently owns both. Lol!

Here's my assessment, since I'm kinda bored.

I've driven both the M6 and the M5 quite a bit. I feel that for both the E6x generation and the F1x generations, the M5 and M6 are quite close in performance. We have to remember that the M6 is not a sports car. It is a GT car, or Gran Touring, meaning comfortable luxurious long distance cruising in a 2 door car that still allows you to seat people in the back in moderate comfort and enough room in the trunk to fit luggage that can last you for a long vacation. The M6 like the M5 is an all-arounder, but has it's advantages over a 4 door car and vice versa, some disadvantages too. On the track it's a no brainer, M6 all day every day, the car feels more composed and faster on the track. On the street, especially since I have a bad back (war injury from Iraq), the M5 is the better choice with its more comfortable front and back seats and spacious cabin. The M5 is the sexiest 4 door sports sedan I know, the only other car to come close is the Aston Martin Rapide. The M6 Coupe is well a very sexy 2-door GT car, but there are other 2-door cars that are far more sexy, but those are all pure sports cars. In the same segment as the M6, as a pure GT Coupe car, is the S63 AMG-Coupe, perhaps the Mercedes CL63, Audi has no product in the market to compete since there is no 2 door version of an RS7, Maserati has the GranTurismo, Aston Martin has the Vanquish or a DB9, Porsche has no equivalent GT Coupe car,
and that's pretty much it. So you can see that the market segment for a true High Performance GT Coupe car is actually rather small. We really have to be careful with our debates when it comes to this segment of the market. When people say they can have a V10 Audi R8 for the same price as a fully loaded M6 Coupe, it really doesn't make sense, they are not the same kind of cars, same goes for a Porsche 911 vs the M6, or a GTR. However, given the fact the M6 Coupe, and M5 for that matter, can beat more exotic pure sports car in straightline rolling races says a lot about a car whose primary mission is not a sports car.

In truth there are some days when I wish I drove an M6, when I want more attention or on the track, but then there are other days when I'm glad to have an M5, enjoying the big cabin and greater comfort, but we really can't go wrong with either car. Also before the BMW i8, the M6 Coupe was BMW's most exotic looking car, and I think that had a lot to do with it's price point, but it certainly isn't $20,000 faster than the M5.

What I'm looking forward to is the next generation M6. A car that is rumoured to not only be obviously lighter than the F13 M6, but also smaller! I have already seen hints that BMW's direction with the next M6 is to make it less of a GT car and more of a sports car to compete with the Porsche 911. If they can do that and keep most of it's GT qualities, I'll be impressed.

[IshR]

Heres a vid, you've probably seen it already, but just in case.

M5 vs M6 Review