Car and Driver tests the BMW 640i Gran Turismo

Have you ever gotten off to a really bad first impression with someone and then have a hard time earning their trust and respect? If so, then you’ll sympathize with the BMW 640i Gran Turismo. Its existence only came after the demise of the beautiful and beloved 6 Series Coupe, so fans naturally hate it even more than they did the 5 Series Gran Turismo. Not only is it weird and ungainly but it came at the cost of a fan-favorite. But if you forget all of that, is the 6er GT actually any good? Car and Driver actually seems to think so.

If you look at the BMW 640i Gran Turismo without any preconceived notions about what a 6 Series, or even a BMW in general, is supposed to be, it starts to make sense. It’s designed to be a more practical luxury car to slot between the 5 Series and 7 Series. Something that can be equal parts luxury car and family hauler. And it’s quite good at its job. It swallows up a surprising amount of luggage, has a ton of interior space and is incredibly luxurious on the inside. It’s also whisper quiet.

Thanks to BMW’s brilliant B58 engine, it’s also decently fun to drive. Its 3.0 liter turbocharged I6 engine makes 335 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque which, when paired with its excellent eight-speed auto, hauls the big 6er from 0-60 mph in just 4.7 seconds. So it can be entertaining to drive in a straight line. Make no mistake though, it’s not designed to be a canyon carver. It’s capable enough, with limited body roll and decent moves, but it’s never fun or exciting to drive. It’s decently athletic when it has to be but not because it wants to be.

So it’s not a bad car in isolation, at all. However, it does have two problems. One, it doesn’t exist in isolation. Two, the BMW 5 Series Touring. The 5 Series Touring is better looking, more fun to drive, cheaper and has almost the same amount of cargo space. However, the 5er wagon isn’t sold in America, so buyers west of the Atlantic will have to stick with the BMW 640i Gran Turismo. At least it’s better than the old 5 Series Gran Turismo.

[Source: Car and Driver]

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