BMW has put the top on its all-new 2012 6-Series with the presentation of the Coupe model ahead of its world premiere at the Shanghai Auto Show in China in April. The new 6-Series Coupe comes shortly after the convertible model that received its public debut at this year’s Detroit Motor Show in January.

Based on last year’s ‘BMW Concept 6 Series Coupe’, the styling of the Bavarian firm’s premium GT is the work of BMW design boss Adrian van Hooydonk, who replaced Chris Bangle in 2009. The new 6er feature s a far less controversial but somewhat more bland styling that its predecessor with a pronounced front end sporting a busy set of headlamps and auxiliary lights and a relatively low roofline.

At 4,894mm long, 1894mm wide and 1,369mm tall, the 2+2 coupe is 75mm longer, 39mm wider and 5mm lower than its predecessor. It also rides on a 75mm longer wheelbase at 2,855mm, which promises to improve space for the rear passengers. Boot capacity stands at 460 liter or 16.24 cu.ft.

The interior design is the same as on the soft-top model, with the more driver-orientated cockpit and the large display on the center console standing out.

At launch, the new 6-Series Coupe will be offered with a choice of two powerplants, a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six for the 640i and a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 for the 650i. Both the 650i Coupe and 640i Coupe transfer their power to the rear wheels via a standard eight-speed Sports automatic gearbox with steering wheel shift paddles. However, in the U.S., BMW will also offer a 6-speed manual gearbox for the 650i Coupe.

The 640i’s straight-six produces 320 hp at 5,800 rpm and 450Nm (332 lb-ft) of peak torque between 1,300 and 4,500 rpm, allowing the coupe to complete the sprint from rest to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.4 seconds, and reach an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). Average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle stands at 7.7lt / 100km (equal to 30.6 mpg US), while CO2 emissions come in at 179 g/km.

In EU-spec, the 650i’s V8 engine kicks out 407 hp from its 4.4-litre displacement between 5,500 and 6,400 rpm and a peak torque of 600Nm (443 lb-ft) between 1,750 and 4,500 rpm, for 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of 4.9 seconds and an electronically-limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). It returns a combined fuel economy of 10.4 lt/100km (equal to 23.1 mpg US) in the EU test cycle, together with CO2 emissions of 243g/km.

In U.S.-spec, the 650i’s V8 delivers 400 hp between 5,500 and 6,400 rpm, and makes peak torque of 450 lb-ft between 1,750 and 4,500 rpm for a 0-60mph (96km/h) acceleration time of 4.8 seconds with either the 6-speed manual or the 8-speed automatic transmission.

The 640i and 650i Coupes will go on sale in Europe this fall while the 650i Coupe arrives in US showrooms this fall as well.

After the online leakage of the Audi RS5 Coupe brochure this past weekend, there was no point in holding back anymore, so the German automaker came out with an official release on its Geneva-bound BMW M3 fighter.

Developed by Audi’s quattro GmbH division, the RS5 Coupe makes use of a revised version of the firm’s 4.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine found in the previous RS4 and the current R8 Coupe.

In the RS5, the tweaked V8 engine delivers a maximum output of 450-horsepower at 8,250 rpm and 430Nm (317.15 lb-ft) of peak torque between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm. Power is transferred to all four wheels through a standard seven-speed dual-clutch S tronic transmission and a center differential in the quattro drivetrain.

With this configuration, the 4.2 FSI propels the coupe’s 1,725 kg or 3,803 pounds from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in 4.6 seconds and on to an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h or 155. Upon request, Audi can increase the top speed to 280 km/h or 174mph.

Not that it concerns your average RS5 driver, but Audi says that its hot coupe averages 10.8 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers or the US equivalent of 21.8 mpg.

It is worth mentioning that the RS5 comes equipped with a next generation quattro permanent all-wheel drive system that incorporates a self-locking crown-gear center differential which operates in conjunction with electronic torque vectoring.

Under normal conditions, the upgraded quattro system splits the power 40:60 front to rear but if necessary, up to 70 percent can flow to the front or as much as 85 percent toward the tail end.

The RS5 gets a revised suspension with the car sitting 20mm (0.79 inches) lower than a standard A5 and 19-inch alloy wheels with 265/35 tires or optionally, 20-inch rims and 275/30 rubber.

It also features a more powerful braking system with 365 millimeters (14.37 inches) ventilated discs at the front axle (380mm ceramic carbon-fiber brake discs up front are offered as an option) and an electronic stabilization program (ESP) that integrates a sport mode and can be switched off entirely.

To differentiate it from the S5 Coupe with its 354HP 4.2-liter V8, Audi gave the RS5 a special exterior treatment that includes a new single-frame grille with honeycomb inserts, a redesigned front bumper with oversized air inlets at each corner and silver splitter, plus flared fenders that hark back to the original quattro model.

At the back, there’s a new rear bumper that houses a diffuser and two large oval-shaped exhaust pipes plus a hidden boot lid spoiler that automatically extends at a speed of 120 km/h (75 mph) and retracts at 80 km/h (50 mph).

Interior upgrades over the standard A5 Coupe’s include a pair of sport seats, a sport steering wheel with perforated leather, red needles on the gauges and decorative inlays made of carbon fiber.

Optionally, buyers can trim the interior with decorative inlays in a dark, stainless-steel mesh look, while there’s also a Carbon design package for the engine compartment and, for the vehicle body, there are styling packages in black or matt aluminum look.

The RS5 will go on sale in Europe this Spring with a base price of around €77,700.

Rounding off the new Megane family is the Coupe-Cabriolet that was formally introduced today ahead of its world premiere at next month’s Geneva Salon. Like its predecessor, the new Megane CC is a two door model with an electric folding top that’s mostly covered in smoked glass

The French carmaker claims the Megane CC’s transparent glazed area of 0.47 sq. metres is the largest in the segment that includes cars like the Pininfarina-styled Ford Focus CC and the Peugeot 308 CC.

The four-seater convertible version of the new Megane also gets a fixed glass wind deflector located behind the back seat headrests that is said to allow draft-free driving at speeds of up to 90km/h or 56mph.

The fully-automatic, electro-hydraulic operated two-piece glass top goes up or down in 21 seconds at the press of a button with the Megane CC’s boot capacity standing at 417 litres with the roof closed, and 211 litres when open.

Depending on the market, the new Megane Coupe-Cabriolet will be available with a choice of up to seven gasoline and diesel powertrains.

The petrol line includes a 110HP 1.6-liter unit linked to a six-speed manual, a 1.4-liter TCe turbo with 130HP matted to a six-speed manual and a 140HP 2.0-liter with a CVT.

Diesel options include the 110HP dCi matted to either a new 6-speed dual clutch automatic transmission or to 6-speed manual gearbox and the 130HP dCi and 160HP dCi that both drive the front wheels through a six-speed manual.

European sales of next generation Megane Coupe-Cabriolet will begin this spring.

To fill the gap in the 3-series lineup between the 300-hp 335i and the 414-hp M3, BMW is introducing the new 335is coupe and convertible. We were unaware that said gap needed to be filled, but we’re told that the 335i is seen in the U.S. as just an ordinary 3-series, and, as such, there’s room for something more exotic than a 335i but less outlandish than an M3. Now that we’ve been given the chance to drive the 335is coupe, we’re coming around to accepting this whole gap idea.

More Power and a Body Kit and …

Conceptually similar to the 330i Performance Package model that was available as part of the previous-generation 3-series lineup, the 335is doesn’t go so far as to threaten the M3’s supremacy, but it definitely ups the sportiness quotient. To that end, the 335is gets 320 hp and 332 lb-ft torque from the twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six engine, and an overboost function allows for seven-second blasts of 370 lb-ft of torque. Unlike the regular-grade 2011 335i, the 335is sticks with the older twin-turbo engine for the simple reason that BMW engineers had more experience tuning it. This same engine can also be found in the Z4 sDrive35is that was introduced at this month’s Detroit auto show. In the Z4, the engine makes 335 hp; a more restrictive intake on the 3-series accounts for the 15-hp difference.

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A little after a leaked brochure gave us our first taste of the lightly refreshed 2011 3-Series Coupe and Convertible models, BMW rushed out an official release and a whole bunch of pictures. For the 2011 model year, the Bavarian automaker’s bread-and-butter coupe and cabriolet models receive some minor cosmetic touches and updated powerplants.

The most notable – that is, if you’re a hardcore bimmer fan- changes on the outside concern the widened kidney grille, reshaped LED headlamps, front and rear bumpers with restyled lower fascias, new exterior mirrors and finally, reworked tail light cluster with a new color scheme.

According to BMW, these modifications slightly extend the front and rear overhangs by 1.14 and 0.12 inches respectively.

The only change in the cabin concerns the convertible models and the use of sun-reflective technology to mitigate temperatures on leather seating, armrest surfaces, headrests, and gear shifter. BMW says that this new treatment is able to reduce surface temperatures on dark interior colors by up to 20 Celsius degrees (36 Fahrenheit degrees) and by as much as Celsius degrees (27 Fahrenheit degrees)on light-colored upholstery.

In North America (we’ll bring you details on the Euro spec models shortly), the 2011 3-Series Coupe and Convertible models will be offered once again in two flavors, the 328i and 335i.

As noted in our previous post, the 2011 335i is fitted with BMW’s new twin scroll single turbocharged 3.0-liter straight six, designated N55, that replaces the previous model’s N54 twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight six.

BMW says that even though output has remained the same as before at 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque, the new single turbo engine is more responsive, more fuel efficient, and cleaner-running than its predecessor.

The rear-wheel drive 335i Coupe and Convertible accelerate from 0 – 60 mph (96km/h) in just 5.3 (5.5 coupe automatic) seconds and 5.5 (5.7 cabrio automatic) seconds, respectively, when equipped with a six speed manual gearbox.

The all-wheel drive 335i xDrive coupe is slightly faster at 5.2 seconds (5.3 sec for the automatic model).

The 328i’s 230 horsepower, 200 lb-ft, 3.0-liter inline-6 engine has been carried over unchanged from the 2010 model.

No word yet on the sporty 335is variants with a tweaked 3.0-liter twin-turbo churning out 322HP that were mentioned in the leaked sales leaflet.

In the U.S. and Canada, the 2011 3 Series Coupe and Convertible models will go on sale in Spring 2010, with pricing set to be announced closer to the on-sale date.