BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo fills new niche

The 6 Series will please chauffeur and boss alike, with its easy access and powerful engines.

 

BMW’s new 6 Series Gran Turismo looks purpose-designed for the joint-replacement age group. Based on the new 5 Series sedan, this big five-door hatchback has features to tempt anyone with creaky joints.

It has larger doors and higher seats, intended to make it easier to get into and out of than its sedan relative. And the 6 Series GT comes standard with BMW’s adaptive two-axle air suspension, which should soothe those who dislike being jostled or jolted while they drive.

The new model, which will reach Australia next month, replaces the slow-selling 5 Series GT.

The 6-Series is based on the 5 Series sedan. Pic: Supplied.

It comes in two versions, starting with the $123,500 630i GT, with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo (190kW), an eight-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive.

The $148,900 640i xDrive GT is powered by one of the best engines BMW makes, the 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo (250kW). It’s teamed with the eight-speed auto but the xDrive denotes all-wheel drive for extra traction.

The only common exterior parts with the 5 Series are the rear-view mirror caps and door handles but the two cars share many mechanical parts.

In the cabin, the relationship is more obvious. The hatchback has the same instrument panel and centre console as the sedan, including the superb central screen that delivers super-crisp satnav and easy-to-understand interfaces with the latest generation of BMW’s infotainment, driver-aid and car set-up tech.

The 6 Series is meant to be more elegant than the 5 Series GT it replaces. Pic: Supplied.

BMW’s designers aimed to make the 6 Series GT a more elegant car than the dumpy-looking 5 Series GT it replaces — quite a bit longer and a fraction lower, it looks sleeker.

It’s not a false impression. BMW claims the drag factor of the 6 Series GT is just 0.28, compared to the 0.30 of the 5 Series GT.

Despite its larger dimensions, the new car is also more than 100kg lighter, thanks to the use of lightweight materials such as aluminium.

The cabin is more spacious than the 5 Series GT. Pic: Supplied.

The claimed thirst is outstanding for such a large and quick car. The 630i GT uses only 7.0L/100km and accelerates from 0-100km/h in only 6.3 seconds. The 640i xDrive GT is quicker but uses 8.5L.

Interior dimensions increase, too — the rear seat space rivals that of BMW’s 7 Series limo — and the cargo compartment beneath the hatchback is huge.

This emphasis on rearward roominess is a pointer to who the 6 Series GT is really designed for — BMW execs reckon China, where wealthy customers can often afford a chauffeur as well as an expensive car, will be the biggest market for the model.