Yahoo! Autos reviews…the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé
BMW has finally joined the 4-door coupé party with the local launch of the 640i Gran Coupé. Traditionalists may argue that coupé is reserved for cars with two doors but it's not a hard and fast rule and judging by the success of the CLS and A7 from Mercedes-Benz and Audi, consumers don't care about classifications.
Launched in Malaysia on the 29th of June, the Gran Coupé is the third variant for the current 6 Series range, which started out with a Coupé and Convertible. The new car keeps the familiar styling but adds two rear doors for added practicality and, a new styling element.
Cynics will say since it shares the same 2968mm wheelbase as the 5 Series it's essentially the same car in drag, and they wouldn't be wrong; but BMW knows a thing or two about building cars. The image is premium so the Gran Coupé drops the 4-cylinder engine and kicks off with a turbocharged inline-6.
For now the only variant is the 640i, which has a handy 320bhp and 450Nm of torque thanks to its TwinPower Turbo 3.0-litre engine. Note this car uses a single twin-scroll turbocharger while the 640i Convertible has two. Both produce the same power and torque figures so you have to be an anorak to tell them apart.
Mated to an eight-speed auto, the 640i Gran Coupé sprints to 100km/h in 5.4 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h. Its main rivals, the Audi A7 3.0T and Mercedes CLS350, post similar numbers so there is no real world performance advantage for any of the cars.
As with all recent BMW models, there are multiple driving modes to choose from including ECO PRO, which tells you how good or bad you've been with your right foot. You can also select between comfort and sports with an option to turn off all the electronic assistance and be in complete control of the car's dynamics.
Aesthetics play a key role when selling cars like this, so BMW's designers have designed the Gran Coupé to share as many styling elements as possible with its coupé and convertible siblings. There is no mistaking it for anything other than a 6 Series, which therefore lifts it above the more common 5 Series saloon.
The interior is unchanged but you can now opt for some interesting colour combinations like cinnamon and ivory white, which will allow you to relive your boogie-nights days from the 1970's. Polyester pants are not on the options list but for an extra RM35,000 BMW will equip your car with a 'premium package' that consists of bigger 19-inch wheels and enough buttery soft Nappa leather to turn it into an S&M boudoir.
If the 640i Gran Coupé sounds irresistible, then you better dig out all the loose change you can because it costs quite a lot. Available in seven different colours, it retails for RM788,800 (OTR, without insurance) inclusive of BMW's BS+RI for three-years and a three-year warranty.
LOVE IT
The prettiest 6 Series of the lot
Powerful yet economical engine
More practical than a real coupé
LOATHE IT
Pricing is high even for a BMW
Thirsty when driven hard
OTHERS TO CONSIDER
Mercedes-Benz CLS350, Audi A7 3.0T
