BMW first applied the M6 nameplate in 1987, when North American buyers received a U.S.-spec version of BMW’s high-performance 6 Series coupe. This original M6 was closely related to the earlier European M635CSi, and it gave the grand touring 6 Series family a full M-badge identity in a market where BMW had been building its performance reputation. That first production run remained a relatively short-lived, enthusiast-focused chapter of the E24-era 6 Series and ended in the late 1980s.
The nameplate returned after a long hiatus with the 2006 model year BMW M6, based on the then-new 6 Series generation. This revival re-established the M6 as BMW’s flagship performance coupe, later joined by a convertible version. In 2012, BMW expanded the line further with the M6 Gran Coupé, turning the nameplate into a three-body-style family and giving the badge a more modern, four-door grand touring role.
Across both eras, the M6 has been associated with BMW M’s blend of high performance and luxury rather than track-only extremity. It has always been positioned above the regular 6 Series as the more powerful, more focused, and more exclusive interpretation of BMW’s large coupe formula. The nameplate was ultimately retired again after the 2018 model year, but its history is split by a clear production gap, so it is best understood as a revived nameplate with separate major eras rather than one continuous run.