What with gorgeous 'four-door coupes' like the Mercedes CLS and Audi A7 tempting buyers that seek something a bit more sexy than your average executive saloon, did you think BMW would refrain from the action?
As you see here, Bavaria is now claiming its slice of this lucrative market (where tasty style translates into even tastier profit margins) with a four-door version of the 6 Series, and it'll be flaunting its sleek lines on local shores when it reaches our showrooms during the second quarter of next year.
Perhaps not as impractical as you might imagine, the 6 Series Gran Coupe shares its wheelbase with the 5 Series, although it's lower to the ground and 108mm longer. Its rear seat, with a comfort-oriented backrest angle, also accommodates three people - albeit the middle seat can't be too generous if BMW is calling the car a 4+1 seater. Even the boot is reasonably capacious with 460 litres of capacity - just 60 less than the 5 Series.
Yet this car's biggest ambitions are to strike a sexy pose and offer a satisfying drive, and BMW has addressed the former the tried-and-tested way, with front and rear styling remaining almost identical to that of the 6 Series Coupe and Convertible, a subtle different coming in the form of electroplated bars between the front air intake and fog lights.
South Africa will initially receive the 640i petrol and 640d turbodiesel models, with the 650i pencilled in for later in the year.
The 640i employs BMW's 2979cc, direct-injection six-cylinder TwinPower turbo engine, which puts out 235kW at 5800rpm and 450Nm between 1300 and 4500rpm, for a claimed 0-100km/h sprint in 5.4 seconds.
Not far off in the power stakes, the 2993cc six-cylinder turbodiesel in the 640d is good for 230kW at 4400rpm and 630Nm between 1500 and 2500rpm which, according to BMW, will allow it to match the 640i in a race to 100km/h.
The range flagship, until the M division gets its hands on the car, is the 650i, powered by a 4395cc TwinPower direct-injection V8 that pushes 330kW at 5500rpm and 650Nm at 2000-4500rpm. Expect to reach 100km/h in just 4.5 seconds.
Naturally the 650i has the biggest drinking habit among its peers, with claimed combined fuel consumption of 8.8 litres per 100km, and CO2 emissions of 206 g/km, while the 640i sips 7.9 l/100km (183g/km) and the 640d just 5.7 l/100km (149g/km).
BMW attributes these relatively good efficiency figures to EfficientDynamics measures that are unrivalled in the segment and which include an idle-stop system and Eco Pro mode.
All three engines are paired with BMW's eight-speed 'sports' automatic gearbox, which also has a 'Driving Experience Control' switch to allow it to swing with your moods and adapt to different driving conditions.
This theory applies to the ride/handling balance too, with Dynamic Damper Control being standard, while those seeking that sharper dynamic edge can opt to pay extra for Integral Active Steering and Adaptive Drive. Furthermore, albeit aimed more at those icy markets up north, BMW is also offering an xDrive all-wheel drive system as an option on the 650i.
Like its two-door siblings, the Gran Coupe creates a sporty mood inside via a driver-focused cockpit design. Par for the course at this level, there is a lot of kit to speak of, with flatscreen control display, cruise control with braking function, Dakota leather-covered seats (heated and electrically-operated up front), 'Radio Professional' sound system with hi-fi loudspeaker system, camera-based collision warning with braking function (in conjunction with Active Cruise Control) and that's just the tip of the standard and optional features iceberg.