At the international launch of the spectacular looking BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé we tried both petrol and diesel 640 models out for size and came away very impressed with the 640d in particular. Now it has arrived in Ireland and we had the opportunity to test the same car in snazzier-looking M Sport specification. It's still brilliant, and very special, but there's a caveat.
Inside & Out: 5/5
BMW Ireland reckons that 80 per cent of 6 Series Gran Coupé buyers here will pay the premium for the M Sport model - no doubt because of how it looks, and we'd probably do the same if we were in such an enviable position. The base car is elegant, but this version has a harder edge to its lines thanks to deeper bumpers front and rear, reshaped side sills and 19-inch wheels. Actually, the car in the pictures is wearing optional 20-inch items, which look stunning, but naturally come with a ride comfort penalty.
The cabin of the 6 Series Gran Coupé, as mentioned before, is virtually identical to the two-door model's up front, but significantly more spacious in the rear. The shape makes it feel more special too, though we find the inclusion of a middle rear seat belt fairly laughable. The M Sport car gets its own trim bits and pieces, and the standard Dakota leather sports seats are the best part, stylishly finished in Cinnamon Brown in the test car.
Engine & Transmission: 5/5
We really cannot find fault with this engine-gearbox combination. The 640d's 3.0-litre straight-six employs two turbochargers to ensure there are no holes in its delivery. It's as impressive quietly ambling through town as it is cruising at high speed or being extended on a more interesting road. It is always smooth and refined and yet when you get the chance to really push on it makes a great sound. A 0-100km/h time is rapid by any measure yet it doesn't begin to illustrate how fast this car feels in the mid-range.
The eight-speed automatic gearbox, made by ZF, is cropping up everywhere and it's a true marvel, offering various modes of operation, quick and smooth changes for the most part and a sensible calibration to make the most of the engine's torque.
Ride & Handling: 4/5
As tested the 6 Series Gran Coupé is almost a five-star ride/handling car. At the press of a button it slips into silky-smooth and comfortable limousine mode to sooth weary bones after a long day on the golf course, yet it convincingly plays the part of an engaging sports saloon too by choosing Sport or Sport+ from the Adaptive Drive system. This incorporates Variable Damper Control, which is self-explanatory we think and Dynamic Drive, which is a wishy-washy marketing name for a very clever piece of technology. It's an active body roll control system that effectively stiffens up the anti-roll bars when required and softens them off when not. The result is incredible body control through fast corners without a comfort penalty on the straights.
So why the four-star rating? Adaptive Drive is optional, a €5,000 or so option at that. Turns out we've yet to try a 6 Series Gran Coupé without it...
Equipment, Economy & Value for Money: 3.5/5
In fairness, the 6 Series Gran Coupé's specification is quite generous. Along with the M Sport wheels and styling add-ons mentioned above, all versions get BMW's excellent 'Professional' satnav with a large colour display screen. On top of that there are parking sensors front and rear, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats and an electrically adjusted steering wheel.
However, despite a Band C emissions rating, the 640d is an expensive car. The similarly powerful Audi A7 Sportback BiTDI is about €20,000 less for example, though there don't seem to be many other real rivals and we will admit that the BMW feels as special as the price suggests it will. It probably won't be a completely logical purchase.