BMW M6 and V10 Engine Production Come to an End

BMW bid farewell to the current M6 Coupe and Convertible as production of both models came to an end this week. The announcement also signals the death of the Bavarian firm's 507HP 5.0-liter V10 engine that powered the already discontinued fourth-generation M5, as the next iterations of the M6 and M5 models will make use of a new turbocharged V8 powerplant producing somewhere close to 600 ponies.

The Bangle-butted E63/E64 M6 was initially launched as a two-door coupe in 2005 with the soft-top convertible model following the next year. Worldwide, BMW sold a total of 14,152 cars (9,087 coupes and 5,065 convertibles), with the number one market for both models being the US, which recorded sales of 3,528 closed and 3,247 open-top vehicles, followed by Germany (1,183/541 units).A replacement for the M6 (in both coupe and convertible body styles) based on the next generation of the 6-Series is due in late 2011 or early 2012.