Car Review: BMW 640d Gran Coupe

 

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four-door coupe is not a new concept; the Merc CLS, Audi’s A7 and the Aston Martin Rapide are all noticeable examples. BMW’s concept four-door was first showcased in 2007, even before the other four-door coupes were on the road. But BMW took its time, and, instead, first launched the 6 Coupe. It then incorporated two extra doors to it. It was so seamless that one look at the car and you’ll think it’s the 640d coupe.


The 6 Series is a gorgeous car. We thought the coupe looked even better than the convertible, and that holds for the Gran Coupe too. The front and rear ends are exactly the same as the coupe. The only noticeable difference is the side: The Gran Coupe is longer by 4.4 inches.

Design highlights include flared rear fenders, frameless windows and discreet Gran Coupe badging on the inside of rear doors. It is one of the best looking four-doors you can buy in India today. For the interiors, you can choose from six different interior packages. The space up front is identical to the coupe, but it’s the rear where the car scores over its siblings. Though not as spacious as a proper four-door luxury sedan, the Gran Coupe offers about five inches more of legroom. The sloping roofline at the back does not compromise on rear head and shoulder room. It is a four-seater.  There is no sun roof, but the fixed glass roof goes well with the grand theme.

A genuine beauty of a car deserves a sweet motor. Its diesel motor is no ordinary one, but the same twin turbo unit from the 640d. The 3.0-litre straight-six that produces 313 PS of max power and 630 Nm of torque, which peaks at 2,000 rpm, is a proper powerhouse. The time taken to reach 100 kmph is 6.11 seconds, making it the quickest four-door diesel we’ve ever tested. The top speed is limited to 250 kmph.

The engine note, too, is unlike any other diesel we’ve come across: It’s more like a rev-happy petrol car. All that power doesn’t come at the cost of fuel efficiency. In town, the car returns 8.3 kmpl and on the highway it stretches to 13.4 kmpl. This means on a full tank you can do 1,000 km.

Like the coupe and convertible, this 640d also has a much softer ride than the previous generation. In Comfort mode, it gets even better, thanks to damper control. Sport or Sport+ is necessary for enthusiastic driving. Sport+ also switches off electronic aid to help you become a drift king. At an all-India ex-showroom price of Rs 84.60 lakh, it commands a hefty premium over its closest rivals. But it’s only marginally more than the 640d Coupe and offers similar performance with added practicality.

This article appeared in Forbes India Magazine of 19 April, 2013

 

 

Keywords: BMW 640d Gran Coupe, Four-door coupe, Merc CLS, Audi A7, Aston Martin