Does the new 6 Series have enough panache to justify BMW’s newly minted ‘four-door coupé’ tag?
THE 6 SERIES GRAN COUPÉ ISBMW’s four-door answer to the likes ofAudiA7 and Mercedes-Benz CLS.
To get a first-hand experience of the gorgeous Gran Coupé, Car India recently headed to BMW’s headquarters in Munich to be among the handful of journalists for this exclusive drive. This, by the way, is BMW’s first four-door coupé, which will certainly win you over at first sight with its elegant lines and great élan. From the long bonnet with bold contours to the ringed headlight and kidney grille, it is unmistakably a BMW. The design aesthetically incorporates the frame-less doors into the sloping roof-line that smoothly flows into the rear end of the car. The L-shaped wrap-around tail-lights are also typically BMW.
The interior is available in a variety of combinations, but the brown and crème treatment totally stands out and would surely grab a lot of attention. The instrument layout is clearly driver-focused and the dashboard is equipped with a 10.2-inch colour display for the iDrive system, which can be navigated using a control knob on the centre console. I found the Head-Up Display pretty useful while driving in an unfamiliar county. It projects the navigation information, even speed limits and warning signs right on the bottom of the windscreen. The Bang and Olufsen music system made driving on the straight, characterless flat roads at restricted speeds for kilometres on end a lot more bearable for the hyper-active Indian driver in me.
The seats are comfortable and you can quickly adjust them as well as the steering electronically to obtain the desired driving position. Like most coupés, the visibility from the narrow rear windscreen is restricted, but you have the option to use all-round cameras for a 360-degree view on the display. There is enough room in the cabin as it is based on an extended wheelbase of 2,968 mm. BMW say that the Gran Coupé accommodates three adults on the rear seat, but the rear air-conditioning vent merges the passenger occupying the middle seat.
BMW displayed three TwinPower Turbo engine variants of the Gran Coupé. The 640i is powered by a straight-six cylinder 3.0-litre petrol engine, but expect to see the 650i and 640d in our country. The 640d comes with a V6 3.0-litre diesel motor with a performance rating of 317 PS and 630 Nm, identical to the current 6 Coupé available in India. The 650i has the bigger V8 4.4-litre engine capable of better power output of 456.24 PS and 650 Nm. What caught the eye was a 650i xDrive four-wheel drive version, which might be brought as a surprise package for Indian enthusiasts.
Mechanically this one is similar to the 5 Series, but the 650i weighs almost 1,900 kg, which is about 200 kg more than the Five. However, the Gran Coupé manages to disguise excess weight thanks to the adjustable chassis using the Driving Stability System. The car also offers multiple driving modes that try to match your driving preference. ‘Comfort Plus’ seemed too soft on the flawless European roads and makes the electrically assisted steering even lighter. ‘Comfort’ was a mite better, though it hampered agility. Personally I preferred to use ‘Sport’, which stiffened up the suspension settings and minimised body-roll. ‘Sport Plus’ was a shade too extreme as it had a tendency to make the car jittery on the slightest of road undulations. But it would have been a totally different ballgame if I were driving on Indian roads. They feature a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic that shifts flawlessly and quickly and ensures that there is enough power at nearly any speed.
Our first impression has been a positive one. The Gran Coupé is not only good to drive, but is also tastefully executed. We expect it to be priced at over a crore of rupees, which is close to the current Six’s price tag, but now has a lot more to offer in terms of performance and luxury.
Story & Photography: Sarmad Kadiri
