2017 BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo revealed

BABY’S got back. Yep, there’s a new generation of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, although this time around it’s gone up a number and stacked on a little less booty.

Welcome, then, to the BMW 6 Series GT, a stretched and sculpted five-door coupe made for carrying junk in its (ever so slightly compromised) trunk, and featuring BMW 7 Series-sized interior space, as long as you’re willing to duck slightly in the rear.

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Billed as something of a Porsche Panamera rival, at least as far as its expected $200,000-plus price tag goes, the new GT fixes much of what was wrong with the dowdy, dumpy-looking fastback sedan it replaces.

Underpinning this generation though, is BMW’s “CLAR” cluster architecture, the rear-drive, hybrid-ready platform that underpins the closely related 5 Series range.

It’s a lighter architecture, too, with the 6 Series GT shedding 150kg of weight compared with the 5 Series-based model – that’s also almost twice the weight that the 5 Series dropped in its generational jump – largely through the use of more high-strength steel and aluminium. It means the new one tips the scales at less than 1800kg.

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At 5091mm long, an 87mm gain on its predecessor, the 6 Series GT’s width remains unchanged at 1902mm. However, it does sit 21mm lower to the ground at 1538mm. The wheelbase remains at 3070mm.

Significantly though, the rear of the tailgate sits 67mm lower than the 6 Series GT’s predecessor, while inside there’s slightly more rear-seat headroom available.

Despite its more low-slung looks, boot space – one of the main areas of criticism in the old model – increases by 110 litres to 610L. Fold down the 40:20:40 split-fold rear seats via the push of a button, and that grows to a much more useable 1800L.

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Standard equipment on European versions of the 6 Series GT includes LED headlights, as well as a system that can detect if you’re driving the wrong way down a one-way street. The rear axle uses self-levelling air suspension and active rear steering is optional on xDrive all-wheel-drive versions.

BMW says two petrol engines (190kW/400Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder 630i and 250kW/450Nm 3.0-litre six-cylinder 640i), and one diesel unit (195kW/620Nm 3.0-litre six-cylinder 630d) will be available from launch, all paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The 6 Series Gran Turismo will be unveiled at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show.