BMW 640D Gran Coupe Review

Ciro De Siena faces a coupé conundrum as he works out where the BMW 640D fits in.

The thing about coupes that have always counted against them is the bothersome issue of having only two doors. Practicality issues are enough to make the Germans throw the rule book (and dictionary) out the window and adding two more doors.

In doing so, they’ve created sedans which are admittedly more beautiful, sleeker than traditional saloons. However, those sloping roof lines and low slung shoulders come at a price: reduced interior and boot space.

Mercedes-Benz was first with this back in 2004. Audi followed in 2010 with the A7, and the last to the party is BMW with the 6-Series Gran Coupe. I’ll be comparing all of them later, but let’s focus on the Beemer for now, because that’s the one I’ve been driving.

The Looks. Oh, the looks.

It’s always quite exciting driving a car that is basically a tourist attraction. I have had people taking photos of this thing, stopping me in car parks to ask about it. It’s that kind of car. Its physical appearance is so striking, so wide and so low, that it puts it almost in a category with supercars, in terms of the attention in gets. It’s knocking on the door of the Maserati Quattroporte, and asking its daughter out on a date.

Which is quite impressive for a car that borrows heavily from all other cars in the range. The interior is pulled together with bits from the 5- and 7-Series, and the rest of the car is of course based heavily on the 6-Series, so it really is one of those beautiful oddities, a car that is more than the sum of its parts.

BMW 640d engine specs

I assume you’ll want to know how it performs. The BMW 640d is running three-litre twin-turbo diesel. At first you’ll think it’s a sin to have a diesel engine in such a car. It’s like meeting a swimwear model, only to hear her burp, repeatedly. But unless you’re rich, I highly recommend the diesel. Here’s why.

This produces more power than Koeberg. 230 kW is modest, but 630 Nm at 1 500 rpm isn’t. That sort of power gets the big lass to rocket to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds, which feels amazing. Bear in mind that you don’t have to go too far back in time to find a BMW M5 which would be proud of those sort of acceleration figures.

But, I hear you grumbling, a diesel engine grumbles. This one doesn’t. Maybe at low speeds you can detect that familiar clack of the diesel, but at speed it sounds more like a petrol V8. Quite what wizardry BMW used to achieve that is beyond me, but the effect is wonderful.

It is a big car so while it is fast, it does feel its weight when you really push on. I also found it hates mid-corner bumps, and I noticed the traction control gets woken up every few seconds on twisting, bumpy roads.

But like all BMWs these days, it has schizophrenia control, where at the flick of a switch you can jump between comfort and sport instantly. The ride, throttle response and gearbox attitude changes completely in each case.

The Interior issues

While the interior is a symphony of leather and soft carpets and piano black fascias, you really only ever want to sit in the front.

And here is my problem with this car. The rear seats are practically useless for anyone over five foot five. And if you’re a tall driver, your rear passengers will have to be legless. Rear headroom is cramped and heaven forbid you want to try fit three people in the back. Not adults – no chance.

I might be delusional but we had the 650i Coupe on test just before this and it felt roomier in the back. For whatever reason, to achieve the incredible shape of the Gran Coupe, and fit 4 doors, the designers seemed to have sacrificed the rear space completely. Which was kind of the point of the whole exercise, no?

BMW 640D Gran Coupe and its rivals

So which of the three German confused-coupes would I have?

The Mercedes-Benz CLS is the most comfortable. So if I were 64 and about to retire, I’d probably have that. It’s also the quietest, but you can’t have a diesel version, so it will hurt your wallet a bit more.

The Audi A7 has the presence of the Beemer, has the practicality of a hatchback, the added safety of all-wheel drive and is quite a bit cheaper. It’s good to drive, and in the real world on rubbish roads, is probably faster than the Beemer. If I had kids and a dog, I think I’d have the Audi.

But right now, the BMW 640d appeals to me more than anything. It’s damn expensive, but it feels worth it. I think it’s because I see it as a German Quattroporte. You know, one that won’t leave you bankrupt.

The enemy within

But there is yet another alternative from within BMW’s own stable, the 535d M Sport. While the motors are practically the same, the 535d is detuned to 190kW and 560N – not shabby at all. Both cars weigh the same so acceleration is less brisk, at just under 6 seconds to the 100km/h mark.

Fuel consumption for the 640d is claimed at 5.4l/100km, with the 535d coming in at 5.1l/100km. Dynamically, the 640d might be marginally more interesting, but you’d have to be doing a very brave sort of driving to notice. In terms of presence, the big Gran Coupe walks this contest, but in practicality, the 5-Series is, by comparison, a limo.

However the wallet-saving is massive. At R778 436, the 535d M Sport represents a saving R227 824. Excuse me while I dry my eyes.

BMW 640d Gran Coupe summary

The 6-Series is one of the best BMWs you can buy. All the best elements of all its cars, chopped and cooked up into one magnificent six-course meal. But test out those rear seats before you buy. You could save R40 000 and tell them to keep the extra doors.

BMW 640d Gran Coupe Gallery