New BMW 6 Series Coupe 640d : Road Test

  • Apr 9, 2012
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In a country obsessed with mileage and practicality, the new generation BMW 6 Series is a fish out of a pond, but get behind its wheel and that analogy takes on a more privileged connotation, rather than a depressingly solitary one

New BMW 6 Series Road Test

Although I stand by the aforementioned opinion, India’s rapidly growing luxury car market and specifically the sports car segment isn’t without reason. Like any petrolhead, I always experience a mad rush of excitement when I see an Aston Martin or a Lamborghini pass by on the city streets. But after reading about the Parx Supercar Shows and the Cannonball Clubs of the country over the past year or so, a sense of how deep our pockets really are suddenly began to sink in.

But that raises the fundamental question of what really governs our thoughts when considering owning a sports car in India. The coupes, cabriolets, convertibles and Grand Tourers on sale today are all high on gloss and glam, but what is really going to change with the homecoming of the BMW’s third generation 6 Series Coupe?


Happy Face, Wider Base

You don’t need to stare for long to realise that this is indeed a gorgeous looking car. Compared to Chris Bangle’s dreary treatment on the outgoing 6 Series, the new one looks far more exciting, to say the least. Gone are the drooping headlights and morose facial expressions, to be replaced by something that is very pleasing to the eye.

The new BMW 6 Series Coupe undoubtedly has a more commanding presence and athletic elegance to it, and the new model’s extra length (4894mm) and width (1894mm) over its predecessor combined with a 5mm lower height has given the third generation model a lustworthy silhouette.

New BMW 6 Series rear

While those neat kidney grille slats emphasize the coupe’s sporting demeanour, the sweeping bonnet flanked by those marvellous looking bi-xenon headlamps and the optional LED foglamps below them endows the car’s front end with a new lease of life.

Compared to the eyesore-ish and disjointed rear styling on the previous generation model, the back end of the new BMW 2-door coupe needn’t demand your attention - it will just get it. Very clever interplay of LED, chrome and crease here. Need I even mention twin aluminium exhausts?

New BMW 6 Series interiors



Two in comfort, Four in compromise

The new 6 Series is a 2+2 coupe in every sense of the term. It’s a very real world Grand Tourer too, which we’ll come to later. First let’s see how pretty a picture the interiors of this car paint. In this day and age of luxury sports cars, bad is not even a feasible option. So let me begin by saying that the interiors on the new 6 Series are great, just like you will find in most BMWs of the modern day.



But while it doesn’t lack any style and finesse, it comes across as being far too serious in its layout and execution. Which isn’t a bad thing considering driving a Rs 75 lakh (approximately) car is serious business; but all said and done it’s not warm and exciting perhaps like we have experienced in similarly priced Audis and Mercs. It’s a personal choice really with regards to the interiors and the Germans have fortunately given us quite a vivid palette to pick from.



If you’re wondering who is ideally suited to take a back seat in this car, try to imagine your kids or diminutively proportioned adults. This elegant looking coupe may pride itself in offering you a 460-litre boot, but don’t expect even half of that space if you intend to take a back seat in this car. That being said, the rear passenger seating isn’t a complete compromise but will see limited use nonetheless.

New BMW 6 Series Coupe TwinTurbo diesel engine
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Engine and Efficiency

Although a higher spec eight-cylinder petrol engine on the new BMW 650i coupe produces 400 plus horses, the sporty 2993cc in-line six-cylinder diesel engine kitted out with BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology on the 640d is no slouch. Dishing out 313PS@4,400rpm and a massive 630Nm of torque at 1,500-2,000rpm, the direct injection and Valvetronic fully variable valve control combination on the six-cylinder diesel unit is a lethal one.



Mated to an eight-speed automatic with Steptronic the new BMW 6 Series is almost instantaneous and seamless in its power delivery and despite its 1,715kg mass does the 0-100km/h sprint in just 5.5 seconds. Capable of hitting a top speed of 250km/h, BMW's 2-door powerhouse quickly unleashes its Twin Turbo temper when it hits the open roads.



Extensive BMW EfficientDynamics technology also plays its part in cutting fuel consumption and emissions in the new BMW 6 Series Coupe. Among the systems fitted as standard are Brake Energy Regeneration, Electric Power Steering (EPS), intelligent lightweight construction and low rolling resistance tyres.

New BMW 6 Series silhouette

Behind the Wheel

Probably the most positively perplexing aspect of the 640d is that is actually drives better than it looks. Its cornering abilities, suspension set-up and overall steering geometry are far superior to any other Bimmer in the market. Despite its longish frame and sporty low profile run-flat tyres, the 6 Series Coupe doesn’t majorly inconvenience you and is quite capable of handling minor bumps and undulations on the road.

Whilst been built on the BMW 5 series platform, the new 6 Series has been transformed into a far more sporty and dynamic product and it’s a truly delightful rear-wheel drive experience, with the diesel in particular being a whole lot more practical, especially on long hauls, owing to its efficiency and refined power delivery.

New BMW 6 Series on the road


Final Verdict

It’s important to digest the fact that very few people in India and even around the world pick up a 2-door Grand Tourer, the likes of the BMW 6 Series for the sake of practicality. Such decisions are more often than not from the heart and if you’re looking for a car to drive yourself and are perhaps a genuine BMW aficionado then this one’s for you.

It is not a family sedan, nor is it a supercar for the race track. It is a sporty, road focused BMW that can only be truly appreciated from behind the wheel. The BMW 6 Series coupe was made to cater to its driver’s needs and it performs this role quite flawlessly.

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