BMW is launching a concerted attack for the largest slice of the luxury coupe sales cake with the launch of its latest 6 Series models.

Now in its third generation, the new 6 Series Coupé charges headlong into the fray to attract the discerning to the highest level of specification yet seen on a 6.

In the luxury 2+2 market the top cat has been the Jaguar XK which has captured 46 per cent of the market with BMW second at 22 per cent.

The intention is clear - BMW is out capture many more sales with a car it believes has the power to impress.

The BMW 6 Series Coupé features a sweeping roofline with a long bonnet, short over-hangs, set-back passenger compartment, long wheelbase and flat waistline.

This BMW really looks the part with a classic, sweeping appearance that plays the Likes of Jaguar and Maserati at their own game.

Two exceptional BMW turbocharged petrol engines and a twin turbocharged diesel powerplant, a newly developed chassis and a host of class-leading driver assistance technology ensure that the 6 Series Coupé is full of substance, while interior space and comfort have been enhanced.

And very soon a high performance M Sport derivative will arrive in the UK to add the final ace to a very strong hand.

Thankfully BMW has stuck to its very popular 'shark-nose' front with its forward-slanted kidney grille which adds a tough snarl to the car's overall look of athletic elegance.

The car has grown by 39mm in width, and 5mm have been shaved off its height. Despite its lower height, the new model offers greater headroom in both the front and the rear, and height adjustment of the driver and front passenger seats now cover a greater range.

The individual rear sets also provide passengers with additional shoulder and elbow room, making for more comfortable cruising.

It is bristling with technology including a sat-nav system that offers real-time traffic information. Updated on congestion and roadworks every three minutes.

It can also accommodate 460 litres of luggage, equivalent to three 46-inch golf bags or two medium hard-shell cases and a flight case.

To utilise the rear space further the rear seats can be specified with a through-loading ski hatch, allowing two pairs of skis to be transported with ease.

The new BMW 6 Series Coupé is available with two petrol engines and one diesel engine: the 650i, 640i and 640d respectively.

BMW is claiming it has the world's sportiest diesel engine with its 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged in-line six-cylinder unit producing 313hp at 4,400rpm and 630Nm of torque from only 1,500rpm with the help of variable geometry turbocharging.

Fitted in the BMW 640d Coupé it is capable of accelerating from zero to 62mph in 5.5 seconds before topping out at an electronically limited top speed of 155mph while it can still average a claimed 51.4mpg with CO2 emissions of only 145g/km.

This is an astonishing car in terms of torque and achieves it all through sequential turbochargers, one smaller than the other, that provide a near continuous wave of torque from low revs.

A complex arrangement of waste gates in the exhaust ensure the smooth transition from one turbo to another as the revs increase.

The 640d is priced from £62,080 while the new 6-Series Coupé range runs from £59,565 for the 640i topping out at £71,840 for the 650i M Sport.