During the past few days, several images have leaked onto the internet of the ‘M’ version of BMW’s 4-door Gran Coupe – the car was originally shown to a private audience at the Nurburgring celebrating 40 Years of ‘M’.

BMW have now released a few official images, prior to the car’s official web premiere in a few weeks time.

The M6 Gran Coupe is due to go on sale in summer 2013, at a price rumoured to be around $120,000, that compares with the M6 Coupe ($106,100) and M6 Convertible ($113,100) – so expect a price somewhere between £95,000 and £105,000 here in the UK.

The engine is expected to be the same 552bhp/680Nm TwinPower Turbo V8 as already fitted in the M5 and M6 variants. Performance should be identical to the M6 Coupe, given the Gran Coupe weighs 20kg less, so that means a 0-62 mph time of 4.2 seconds and a speed-limited top speed of 155mph.

The M6 Gran Coupe will come fitted with a Seven-speed M Double Clutch Transmission (M DCT) as standard and an Active M Differential.

The first public appearance of the M6 Gran Coupe will be at the Detroit Motor Show (NAIAS) in January.

bmw Gran Coupé m6 world debut