With the BMW 6 Series, this German manufacturer managed to turn executive cars into something fun and fast, providing luxury and comfort in combination with a sporty coupe experience.

The 6 Series was first put on sale in the summer of 1976 in the guise of the E24 range, with BMW choosing to create these cars as a replacement for the outgoing E9 models. At the time the E24 was borrowing components and design elements from the 5 Series.

At first there were two options available; the 630CS and the faster 633CSi. Within two years the range got another speed boost thanks to the arrival of the 635CSi, before the range expanded further into more affordable territory with the 628CS in 1979.

In the early 1980s BMW began to develop an M iteration of the 6 Series, which was brought out to the market in 1983. These models could hit 60 miles per hour in under seven seconds, with one US version doing so in just 6.1 secs.

The E24 remained in production until 1989, at which point it was put on the back burner as BMW focused on other products, most notably the new 8 Series. However, the 6 Series would not remain out of action for long.

The 6 Series was brought back to public attention in 2003 when the E63 arrived. It features a V8 engine at first, although a year later this 4.5 litre powerhouse was offset by a cheaper 3.0 litre alternative to help the range get off the ground.

Four years after the launch of the E24 it received an update in terms of styling and equipment, although the core of the car remained the same. As in the past there was an M6 iteration made available, with this 2005 model offering drivers a whopping 500bhp to play with.

Some long time fans of the classic 6 Series were upset with the direction of the newer models, although future responses may differ.

The E24 was canned in 2010, only to be replaced a year later by the F12, available in both coupe and convertible forms. While the styling of these vehicles has divided audiences, the 6 Series remains a premiere executive car to this day.