[DJ]

For a car maker that prides itself on being the ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’ BMW spends quite a lot of time making sure passengers also have an excellent experience. Some of BMW’s customers think they’ve gone too far, complaining that even the sport-package equipped version of the current 6-series just isn’t sporty enough. But others think the 6 is just perfectly luxurious. So BMW has decided to take the middle route and appease both camps - the next 6-series, due out in 2010 or 2011, will come in two versions: sport and luxury.

What exactly the difference will be has yet to be revealed, but it will reportedly be a ‘marked’ difference, unlike the current line-up. Whatever BMW ends up doing to make the 6-series home to a truly sporty grand tourer, there’s a good chance the idea could spread throughout the luxury world. Makers like Mercedes and Lexus face similar dilemmas with their line-up and a similar solution would make sense. Audi has already adopted and incorporated this method of design throughout its line, offering its standard A Series, the improved S Series and the totally insane RS Series, all of which are variants of one core line-up.

More details on the new 6-series itself are lacking, but the word on the street is that the new car will be a two-door version of the CS concept shown in Shanghai. The uber-sexy flagship concept speaks volumes about BMW’s future design direction, and even if the CS itself never makes it to production, it’s sure to inspire elements of BMW’s future line-up.