2013 BMW 6-series Gran Coupe preview (photos)

The 6-series has been BMW's big sport coupe, sitting in the lineup between the 5-series and 7-series. Next year, BMW will sell what it calls a Gran Coupe version of the 6-series, with two rear doors allowing easier access to the rear seat.

BMW will make all of its latest technology available on the 6-series Gran Coupe, including LED headlights that project in the direction the front wheels are turned.

The 6-series Gran Coupe cuts a more svelte profile than the 7-series, which maintains a more traditional sedan style.

BMW has managed to make the trunk lid look more integrated with the car on the new generation of the 6-series, but it still does not have quite the panache of the original 633 and 635.

Rather than a hatchback, as cars such as the Audi A7 and Porsche Panamera use, the 6-series Gran Coupe sticks with a traditional trunk.

The first model available will be the 640i Gran Coupe, with BMW's excellent direct injection, twin scroll turbocharged 3-liter inline six-cylinder engine, tweaked for more horsepower than the current incarnation. Later, BMW will introduce the 650i Gran Coupe, which will get a twin turbocharged direct-injection V-8.

This shot of the cabin shows a high degree of luxury in the 6-series Gran Coupe.

BMW calls the seating configuration 4+1, the "1" referring to the unlucky person who rides the hump in the middle of the rear seat.

BMW will offer its new full color head-up display in the 6-series Gran Coupe, along with its adaptive suspension and other driving dynamics technology.

The head unit electronics represent the latest technology in BMW's arsenal, including its connected features. Navigation will likely be standard on the 6-series Gran Coupe, as deleting the LCD would leave an odd hole in the dashboard design.

A premium Bang & Olufsen audio system is available for the 6-series Gran Coupe, using the pictured acoustic lens to spread treble notes through the cabin.