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What is considered the most outrageous M-car in the range, even with the ridiculous V12-powered M760Li – the M6 is Bavaria's answer to a bristling muscle car. The M6 is available in three guises, much like the 6 Series is – as a coupe, convertible and four-door coupe. but that's where the similarities end.

The 6 Series is similar in many ways to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupé as a competent grand tourer, while the M6 is cut from the same cloth as the aggressive brute that Mercedes-AMG created in the S63 and S65 Coupé – that is to say brutally fast.

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Discover the BMW M6

The standard M6 already has 552bhp and, as with most M cars, there is a Competition Package that can be added increasing power to 591bhp. To put that into perspective, it remains on the coattails of the 4.0-litre V8 S63 but finds itself 30bhp behind the outrageous twin-turbo V12 S65. In 2015, BMW surpassed the 6 Series with changes made to the bumpers, air intakes and headlights, with the M6 also inheriting these tweaks. However, there was a custom-made change that BMW made to the M6's Competition package as well, and let's face it, who doesn't like a horsepower number that starts with six?

That's not all: this new Competition Pack is more… competitive. Springs and shock absorbers have been updated, as have the stabilizer bars. The M differential with electronically controlled slider gets its own ECU, the stability control program has its own tune, as does the steering, while there's an Akrapovic titanium exhaust system.

When I say the suspension is “upgraded,” remember, what I mean is “stiffer.” The dampers are still adaptive, so you can tell how stiff they are. The chassis, like the steering and engine/transmission response, can be set to Comfort, Sport or Sport+ – individually or together, as you prefer.

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For those interested in maintaining the M6 standard, you won't be disappointed with the 552bhp it produces, not to mention its extensive equipment list. There's double wishbone suspension up front, 19-inch alloy wheels, an aerodynamically tuned M-Performance bodykit, a quad-pipe exhaust system and plenty of M6 designation as standard on the exterior. Inside there's Merino leather upholstery, electrically adjustable front sports seats, a Wi-Fi hotspot and a Harman and Kardon sound system, while for the rest of the BMW range, the M6 gets iDrive with satellite navigation, DAB, Bluetooth and USB connectivity and the addition of a 10.2in screen.