We went to the Bavarian brand's launch HQ in Lisbon to test the glorious four-seater.
6 Series is a luxury machine that is all about indulgence. The Coupé, Gran Coupé (four-door) and Convertible all receive revisions that go beyond subtle exterior styling tweaks. The sculpted exteriors of all three versions feature a new kidney grille and front and rear aprons to add a bit more drama. New LED headlights are standard; for a few quid extra, selective-beam, anti-dazzle adaptive versions are available. New exterior colours and wheels also feature in the range.
Inside, the cabin is simple and very well-appointed. On a relatively trivial but practical note, the new car gets cup holders as standard! The last-generation only had a cup holder as an optional extra.
The engine range features refined 'TwinPower' turbocharged six-cylinder (in-line) or V8 units. All come with automatic transmission. We tested the 650i Coupé and 640i Convertible.
First, we took the 650i out on a variety of roads. The Coupé is a relatively wide machine, and on some of the more picturesque roads in the hills outside Lisbon we kept diligently to our lane, as we were aware we could meet another six coming the other way. As they would say in a Rolls Royce dealership, the car has 'sufficient power'.
650i's V8 engine produces a very impressive 450hp and a massive 650nm of torque! Power like this made cornering our rear-wheel drive, petrol-powered car fun. Get on the power too soon and you can make this elegant machine behave like a hooligan.
'Effortless' best describes the power delivery of the 650i: 0-100kph takes a mere 4.6 seconds. If you need more sure-footed road-holding from your 6, X-Drive (four-wheel drive) is available and makes the 650i slightly quicker to 100kph.
Next, we took the cloth top down in the six-cylinder 640i. With 313hp/630nm the four-seater still cruises with incredible ease and composure: 0-100kph takes just 5.5 seconds. Roof-up, the cabin proved to be ultra-civilised too.
All petrol models have a new 'sports exhaust' that has a switchable flap to deliver a meatier sound – but we wished it was louder. Behind the wheel of either machine you feel pretty content. In the 6 Series any journey is a relaxing experience.
Sales of 6 Series in Ireland are relatively small but are massive in the US, China and Russia. These markets, more than most, will enjoy the ability to customise their machine with BMW's 'Individual' personalisation packs. You can even get real gold inlays in the dashboard, if you're so inclined – it would be rude not to!
Sadly, we did not have the chance to test the four-door Gran Coupé this time. The majestic GC is one of our favourite cars, now accounting for almost one in every two sales of 6 Series globally. Racing fans will adore the new 6 Series GT3 that replaces the Z4 GT3.
Prices start at €98,690 for the 640d Coupé and 640d Gran Coupé, with the Coupé Convertible starting at €108,090. 'M6' versions of each body type cost about €70,000 more but are simply fantastic!
New 6 Series has just become even better.
Michael Sheridan
