  We present an $E_6$ Grand Unified model with a realistic pattern of fermion
masses. All standard model fermions are unified in three fundamental 27-plets
(i.e. supersymmetry is not invoked), which involve in addition right handed
neutrinos and three families of vector like heavy quarks and leptons. The
lightest of those can lie in the low TeV range, being accessible to future
collider experiments. Due to the high symmetry, the masses and mixings of all
fermions are closely related. The new heavy fermions play a crucial role for
the quark and lepton mass matrices and the bilarge neutrino oscillations. In
all channels generation mixing and ${\cal CP}$ violation arise from a single
antisymmetric matrix. The $E_6$ breaking proceeds via an intermediate energy
region with $SU(3)_L\tm SU(3)_R\tm SU(3)_C$ gauge symmetry and a discrete
left-right symmetry. This breaking pattern leads in a straightforward way to
the unification of the three gauge coupling constants at high scales, providing
for a long proton lifetime. The model also provides for the unification of the
top, bottom and tau Yukawa couplings and for new interesting relations in
flavor and generation space.
