BMW Gran Coupe: Opulent performer
Four-plus inches longer than the two-door Coupe, the Gran Coupe has a more generous back seat, with room for four adults and a fifth in a pinch.
Looking back, there was no reason to fear the border crossing.
Hours before embarking on a recent road trip to Canada, I discovered my passport had expired a day earlier. A frenzy of phone calls confirmed my fears — Canada required a valid passport.
My traveling companion and I decided to take our chances. We packed our BMW 640i Gran Coupe and pointed it north. At the border, it was our good fortune to be greeted by a uniformed fellow who was far more interested in the Bimmer than in my passport.
The Gran Coupe ($76,000) is that kind of car. Call it desire on wheels. BMW’s take on the “four-door coupe” concept, the large four-door evokes the spirit of a two-door coupe.
It’s so lovely one might be tempted to dismiss it as a style car , noteworthy only for its shamelessly stunning sheet metal and ridiculously comfortable cabin. A single road trip demolishes that concern; underway, the Gran Sport demands to be taken seriously.
The 6 Series cars — Coupe, Grand Coupe and Convertible — are based on the 5 Series sedan, right down to the smooth and power six-cylinder engine, eight-speed automatic transmission, adaptive suspension and rock-solid chassis.
Four-plus inches longer than the two-door Coupe, the Gran Coupe has a more generous back seat, with room for four adults and a fifth in a pinch. Its trunk is deep and spacious and the 60/40-split rear seatbacks fold flat to expand cargo room.
The 6 Series cars share an elegantly understated cabin that’s rich with fine leathers, genuine wood trim and topnotch build quality. The 10-way adjustable front seats are almost without peer among production cars and, despite the Gran Coupe’s sweeping lines, outward vision is ideal.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the head-up windshield speedometer display, which my sunglasses rendered nearly invisible.
Cabin tech lives up to expectations in all other ways; even the notoriously challenging iDrive control system has grown more flexible and intuitive over time.
More a grand cruiser than a sport coupe, the 640i is nevertheless a stunning performer.
The base engine is a 315-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six that powers the 4,200-pound 640i from 0-60 in 5.4 seconds and returns EPA numbers of 20 mpg city/30 mpg city/24 mpg combined. The twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 in the up-level 605i ($87,200) makes 445 hp and enables a 4.5-second 0-60.
A six-mode Driver Dynamics Control system allows the driver to set performance, comfort and economy parameters across a broad range of functions, including shock damping, throttle tip-in aggressiveness and transmission settings.
Due in part to its large, low profile tires and in part to suspension tuning, ride quality can suffer at speed over broken pavement. The payoff is a ride so stable and controlled that my passenger graded papers as I swiftly negotiated the twisty bits up near Kettle Falls.
It’s the rare Gran Coupe owner who will travel by road to Canada. Those who do may even find that their ride is all the passport they need.
Don Adair is a Spokane-based freelance writer. Contact him at don@dadair.com.
2013 BMW 640i Gran Coupe
Vehicle base price: $76,000
As tested: $97,695
Key options included premium audio system; adaptive drive; active roll stabilization; heated, multi-contour seats; 19-inch wheels and performance tires; LED lights; head-up display; side- and top-view camera; parking assist.
EPA ratings: 20 city/30 highway
Premium unleaded fuel required