Prices start near $77,000.
Our car columnist isn't quite sure how a four-door car can be defined as a coupe, but BMW's definition is a stunning example of automotive artistry.
It’s early April following a dank, dreary winter. We’re nearly a month into spring, yet the highest temperature until now has been 48 degrees. But today is different. The sun is shining and the thermometer is reading 65 and has been climbing all morning.
You open the door, step outside, and immediately feel the warmth. You’re rejuvenated. Invigorated. It’s as if you’ve emerged from months of hibernation. Suddenly, life is wonderful.
OK, you can snap back to reality now. Forgive me for taking you on that flight of fancy, but I couldn’t think of a better way to convey the feeling of possessing and driving BMW’s newest 6-Series model.
Maybe the feeling fades after you’ve owned one for six months, a year, whatever. But for the seven days I spent testing a 2013 640i Gran Coupe, my spirit soared every time I saw it in the driveway. It soared even higher when I drove BMW’s beauty.
Silly, right?
In truth, I don’t understand it myself. But then I also can’t fathom why some people love cooking (the eating part I can understand).
One of the only things that doesn’t thrill me about the Gran Coupe is its name. I grew up believing that coupes have two doors. I don’t know if either Merriam or Webster had a driver’s license, but they define a coupe that way, too.
BMW’s dictionary apparently has a different definition. Or maybe they consider “Gran” a modifying prefix that means “subtract two doors.”
Whatever. I’m willing to forgive all abortions of the English language – including dropping the “d” from “grand” – for vehicles as wonderful as this one.
The Gran Coupe, which debuted this summer, is a new model for BMW that is based on the 6-Series Coupe and Convertible. Stretching the wheelbase and overall length of those models a mere 4.5 inches enabled BMW to add a back seat and a second pair of doors… without reducing cargo space.
That’s a Gran achievement, as is the way BMW managed to make a four-door look every bit as sleek and sexy as its Coupe and Convertible counterparts. To these eyes, the Gran Coupe actually appears more sinuous, sensual and sleeker than the two-door Coupe, despite being an inch taller. Its extra length apparently creates that perception.
The BMW 640i Gran Coupe is as appealing inside as it is out, columnist Scott Wasser says.
Buyers can choose from one of three Gran Coupe models: 640i, 650i, and the AWD 650i xDrive. The 650i models are powered by a 445-horsepower V8, and the 640i relies on a 315-horsepower in-line six-cylinder.
BMW says the 650i shaves about a second off the 640i’s Gran Coupe’s 5.4-second zero-to-60 time. In other words, it’s the difference between fast and faster. Fast was good enough during my week with the 640i because the engine and eight-speed automatic transmission respond to every request with a fluid and copious supply of thrust.
The Gran Coupe’s handling is equally responsive. Its steering doesn’t feel quite as connected as other BMWs I’ve driven, but that’s like saying Eli Manning isn’t quite the quarterback brother Peyton is. The bottom line is that the 640i goes where it’s pointed with minimum fuss at speeds that will please driving enthusiasts.
And it does so while squeezing 30 highway miles from a gallon of gas, according to EPA estimates. The 640i averaged better than 25 mpg overall during my week at the wheel.
One reason for its good mileage is the Gran Coupe’s standard Start/Stop system, which automatically shuts down the engine during extended stops and restarts it when the throttle is nudged. The system might boost fuel economy, but the noticeable shudder when the engine restarts is out of character for such an otherwise refined vehicle.
Refinement, performance and even utility – trunk capacity is 13 cubic feet, and the rear seat comfortably accommodates a couple of adults – are just three of this BMW model’s many attributes.
But the 640i Gran Coupe’s best feature may be the pleasure it can bring to any car lover.
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NUTS AND BOLTS
WHAT IS IT? 2013 BMW 640i Gran Coupe, a stylish, luxurious and sporty four-door.
WHAT’S IT COST? Starting prices are $76,895, $87,395 and $90,395 (including $895 destination fee), respectively, for the 640i, 650i and xDrive Gran Coupes.
WHAT I LIKED BEST: As enjoyable as the first warm day of spring.
WHAT I LIKED LEAST: Start/stop system is uncharacteristically intrusive.
IMPORTANT NUMBERS: 3.0-liter, 24-valve, turbocharged, direct-injected inline 6-cylinder produces 315 hp, 330 lbs-ft. of torque. 8-speed automatic transmission. 116.9-inch wheelbase. 4,190-lb. curb weight. 20/30/24 city/highway/combined mpg (EPA). 0-60 in 5.4 seconds (BMW spec). 13-cu.ft. trunk.