THE BREAKDOWN
- BMW discontinued the 6 Series in the United States in 2019.
- Two 'new' cars were sold in the U.S. last year.
- Another zombie car, the i3, also appears in the sales chart.
Every now and then, BMW likes to experiment with niche models, some stranger than others. The 6 Series Gran Turismo and the 5 Series–badged model before it were among the oddest, conceived as large hatchbacks for buyers with very specific tastes. These GTs were positioned as alternatives to the 5 Series wagon, offering comfort and luxury closer to that of the 7 Series.
As with the nearly forgotten 3 Series GT, the unconventional shape was likely its Achilles’ heel. Sales never took off, and BMW eventually pulled the plug on both cars, leaving the Touring models to fill the void. It’s worth noting that the 6 Series GT was a short-lived product in the United States, available for only two model years. Although it was discontinued after the 2019 model year, two “new” cars were sold in North America last year.
After some digging, we discovered that one was purchased in Q3 and the other in Q4. Mind you, this isn’t the first time the 6 Series Gran Turismo has appeared in sales charts long after its demise. BMW sold one car in 2024, 55 units in 2021, and 200 cars in 2020. Even when the vehicle was still officially on sale, demand was modest: 1,139 units in 2019 and 3,762 in 2018.
Shortly after retiring the car in North America, along with the smaller 3 Series GT, BMW gave the 6 Series GT a mid-cycle facelift for other markets. The model continued in Europe until mid-2023 and was eventually retired for good when production ended in India in the first half of 2024.
Before it exited the U.S. market, the 6 Series GT was offered exclusively as a 640i xDrive, with a starting price of $71,295. Given how many years have passed since the model was discontinued, the people who bought those two cars must have scored one heck of a deal.
It’s a lot of car for the money, even if many buyers were put off by its bulky rear. Then again, perhaps the 6 Series GT wasn’t any more awkward than the X6, which lives on and is likely to receive a next generation in 2028. BMW would argue that most people didn’t get the point of the car, viewing it as redundant in a lineup already rich with sedans, wagons, and SUVs.
The large grand tourer isn’t the only “zombie” BMW sold in 2025. Someone also bought an i3 in the third quarter, some three years after production ended. The nameplate will return later this year on a fully electric sedan BMW plans to sell in the U.S. starting in 2027. Technically, BMW never discontinued the “i3” moniker, as it’s still used in China for an electric version of the long-wheelbase 3 Series sedan.
2021 BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo
Motor1's Take: I’ve always been fascinated by cars that sit collecting dust on dealer lots before eventually finding a new home. The 6 Series GT is arguably one of the weirdest BMWs ever sold in the U.S., and I’m genuinely happy to see that a handful of people still appreciate this peculiar model.
BMW sells the 5 Series Touring in the United States only as the pricey M5, so a car like the 6 Series GT with a practical tailgate could have served as a worthy substitute in the absence of a regular wagon. That said, these GT models are unlikely to make a comeback, given that they never exactly flew off dealer lots.
Source: BMW
