Using the same name as the concept shown at the 2010 Beijing motor show, the four-door 6 Series Gran Coupe will join the two-door 6 Series Coupe and Convertible 6’s in the third quarter of 2012.
The Gran Coupe will be the Munich car-maker’s new flagship sedan – at least in terms of design and desirability – by offering more practicality than the existing 6 Series cars and sleeker styling than the 7 Series limousine.
BMW Gran coupe
To be officially unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March, the Gran Coupe is reported to be based on a stretched 5 Series platform with a 2968 mm wheelbase – 98 mm shorter than the short-wheelbase 7 Series (3070mm) but some 113 mm longer than the other 6 Series models.
The Gran Coupe is 102 mm longer than the 5 Series sedan and just 65 mm shorter than the 7 Series SWB.
Much of the Gran Coupe’s extra length benefits rear-seat passengers, who are presented with vastly more legroom and luxury appointments than those in the rear of either two-door 6 Series models, while all four seats are mounted higher for better visibility.
The 640i’s 3.0 liter straight-six diesel with twin-scroll turbo develops 235 kW of power at 5800 rpm and 450 Nm of torque between 1300 and 4500 rpm, returning EU fuel consumption of 7.7 to 7.9 liters per 100 km, and 0-100 km/h acceleration in 5.4.
All Gran Coupes come with an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission and a 250 km/h top speed, plus a host of fuel-saving functions including idle-stop, regenerative braking, on-demand ancillary components and an automatic grille shutter.
Like its 6 Series stablemates, the Gran Coupe will be fitted with Servotronic electric power steering, Dynamic Damper Control, Xenon headlights with LED daytime-running lights, LED fog-lights, 18 inch alloy wheels, Dakota leather trim, electric steering wheel adjustment and two-zone climate-control.
Optional BMW ConnectedDrive functions include BMW Parking Assistant, Collision Warning with braking function (in conjunction with Active Cruise Control), Lane Change Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Speed Limit Info, High-Beam Assistant, BMW Night Vision with pedestrian recognition, four-zone climate-control and new-generation BMW Head-Up Display.
