BMW 640d M Sport Gran Coupé
The BMW 640d M Sport Gran Coupé expertly blends sinuous, sexy lines and low-slung styling with sublime on road manners. Could BMW have created the perfect antidote for middle-aged boredom? Angus Davies investigates.
It seems de rigueur that, as men reach their forties, a midlife crisis appears on the agenda. The advent of middle age makes many men question the meaning of life and contemplate what might have been. Everything is brought into question, with careers, relationships, health and self-image all potential areas of dissonance. Some men feel an overwhelming need to reinvent themselves in a belated attempt to self-actualise. A younger partner, a change of wardrobe or a trendy new hairstyle are just some of the tell-tale signs that a midlife crisis has reared its ugly head. However, perhaps the most obvious illustration of middle-aged reinvention is the purchase of a two-seater sports car. The problem is that after said sports car arrives, there is a distinct lack of opportunity to get behind the wheel. Indeed, career and family commitments consume virtually all available time. As any parent will attest, teenage children perpetually need to be transported to a myriad of social events, resigning any two seater to a life beneath a dust sheet in the garage. BMW may have come up with the perfect solution. The 6 Series Gran Coupé is sexy and stylish yet it is accompanied with four doors so is easily able to accommodate four adults in sumptuous comfort. The frameless doors, typical of a two seater, exude a welcome note of sportiness and the flowing profile of the car seems destined to tackle country lanes with smile-inducing ease. As a suitably qualified forty something, I climbed into the luxurious cabin of a silver-hued 640d M Sport Gran Coupé in order to appraise itover a number of days.
FEELING THE POWER. The 6 Series Gran Coupé is available in a broad choice of diesel and petrol engines. The ultimate high-performance option, the M6 Gran Coupé, employs a 4.4 litre eight-cylinder turbocharged engine, producing 560 horsepower, catapulting the car from rest to 62mph in a claimed 4.2 seconds. The diesel-powered 640d M Sport Gran Coupé may not share the same fire-breathing character of the M6 but, rest assured, it is no slouch. The 313 horsepower engine will still reach 62mph in 5.4 seconds while sipping fuel with a parsimonious thirst, delivering an impressive 49.6 mpg on the combined cycle. In the real world of congested roads, highway hazards, roadworks and speed cameras, the 640d M Sport Gran Coupé seems to make a lot more financial sense than the M6.
MANY OPTIONS. My 640d M Sport Gran Coupé test car was equipped with an array of options including the ‘M Sport Plus Package’. Ticking this option on the order form adds larger 20” alloy wheels, an upgraded surround sound system, extra features on the instrument panel and the must have ‘Head-up Display’. This latter option projects various information on the inside of the windscreen as if it were floating above the road. The driver can focus on the twists and turns of a country lane whilst viewing the current speed, satellite navigation instructions and even the radio channel without taking their eyes off the road ahead. This may sound like mere gimmickry but it proves to be highly useful and is definitely worthy of consideration. The electric memory driver’s seat offers an array of adjustments and delivers much lateral support, holding the driver in position when enthusiastically entering bends. The seat squab can be extended, providing additional support both under the thighs and behind the knees.
BLUETOOTH. Communication is key in today’s era and BMW has evidently recognised this by equipping the 6-series with ‘Bluetooth telephone preparation’. Using my iPhone, I found the task of connecting to the system to be very simple and appreciated the optimally placed colour display. However, connectivity goes beyond mere phone and navigation functions, with the optional internet access on my test car proving most convenient. While using my desktop computer, I was able to find a restaurant and, using Google Maps, send the location to my car where it was easily retrievable with the navigation system. Looking back into the rear passenger compartment, the transmission tunnel does impact on leg room. On an occasional basis, a fifth adult could sit on the middle part of the rear seat bench as a seat belt is provided. However, the ‘four plus one’ seating arrangement does mean a fifth person may find the rear of the cockpit tiresome over a long distance. Nevertheless, contrasting the 6-series Gran Coupé with a conventional two seater, greater functionality is clearly provided with this stylish four door model.
ON THE ROAD. While the 640d M Sport Gran Coupé is brimming with gadgets, the raison d’être of this car is its ability to place a smile on the driver’s face. Despite an overall length of more than five metres, the 640d M Sport Gran Coupé felt much smaller on the road. Its handling was taut and threading it through bends was a joy. The centrally mounted ‘iDrive Touch Controller’ allows the driver to adjust various settings, including the eagerness of the gearbox to swap ratios, the reaction of the throttle to driver input and the behaviour of the steering. In reality, I found the default setting delivered everything I asked of it. A characteristic of the diesel engine is its abundance of torque. There was never any hint of lag from the ‘BMW TwinPower Turbo’, with colossal acceleration available on demand. It was only at tick over that the engine revealed its diesel character. Driving the car at any other speed was accompanied by the rich timbre synonymous with a high-powered petrol engine.
THE BRAKES. Clearly, with the ability to attain high speeds, it is equally important to be able to rein in a high performance car. The brakes on the 640d M Sport Gran Coupé fulfilled their role admirably. On several occasions I enthusiastically approached a bend, safe in the knowledge that the anchors of this car would progressively shed speed with confidence.
With a multitude of driver aids such as ABS, DSC+ and DTC, the numerous abbreviations can prove bewildering, but rest assured they all collaborate to mitigate driver error and help keep the car on the road. The ride was firm on the BMW 640d M Sport Gran Coupé and my rear seat passengers seemed to be the most critical of this. Perhaps the standard 19” alloys may offer a more comfortable ride, but with a satisfactory experience in the front of the car, any criticisms that were proffered from behind fell on deaf ears.
YOUTHFUL EXCITEMENT. BMW has clearly identified a niche which many car brands have overlooked. The middle-aged man may well have grown tired of the customary 4 door saloon and seek the excitement of a sleek and exciting vehicle. The BMW 640d M Sport Gran Coupé can transport children admirably and the boot will accommodate a couple of golf bags, satisfying any remit for practicality. However, most importantly, this car delivers enjoyment, helping you rediscover some youthful excitement and put a smile on your face. Indeed, with an array of attributes, the BMW 640d M Sport Gran Coupé may well prove to be the perfect antidote for middle-aged boredom.
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