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| 1987 BMW L6 in Baruch Houses in the Lower East Side, New York, New York |
In 2004, BMW resurrected the 6 Series nameplate on a slinky coupe which was adapted from the Z9 Concept. Designed when Chris Bangle was BMW's chief of design, the 6 Series' controversial exterior featured a bulbous rear end, squinty, upturned headlights, and snout-like grille. While certainly striking, the reborn E63 6 Series wasn't reminiscent of the aggressively handsome original. Introduced for the 1977 model year, the E24 6 Series replaced the CS coupe (which had spawned the legendary 3.0 CSL), and with its "shark-nose" styling the E24 is an imposing presence.
The 6 Series's good looks are entirely due to the front-end styling. The sharp forward-leaning grille and headlights give the impression that the BMW is charging forward, slicing through the air. This windswept look gives the coupe visual speed and a healthy dose of attitude. Like all '70s and '80s Bimmers, the twin headlights are integrated into black rectangular vents. However, this element looks best on the E24 due to the extremely skinny kidney grille that separates the vents. This causes the 6 Series to look wider than its BMW brethren, even though the width is similar to the 5 Series and far less than the 7 Series of the time.
A thin rectangular hood bulge that rises out of the kidney grille gives the car a powerful appearance. BMW was able to minimize the visual damage of the strict U.S. demands for bumpers by topping them off with chrome. The 6 Series features a subtle beltine, a light crease that flows from the headlights to the taillights uninterrupted. Around back, things are kept simple, with bland, blocky taillights outlined in chrome. The twin tailpipes peek from underneath the bumper, hinting at the 215 horses under the hood. Overall, while the rear fascia is a bit ordinary, the dramatic shark-nose front makes the 6 Series a handsome grand tourer.
Grade
Front: A
Back: B
Overall: A-
The 6 Series's good looks are entirely due to the front-end styling. The sharp forward-leaning grille and headlights give the impression that the BMW is charging forward, slicing through the air. This windswept look gives the coupe visual speed and a healthy dose of attitude. Like all '70s and '80s Bimmers, the twin headlights are integrated into black rectangular vents. However, this element looks best on the E24 due to the extremely skinny kidney grille that separates the vents. This causes the 6 Series to look wider than its BMW brethren, even though the width is similar to the 5 Series and far less than the 7 Series of the time.
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