BMW currently makes, what I think is, one of the best looking cars on the market — the 6 Series Gran Coupe. I love BMW; the cars, the brand, the M Division, the i Division. It’s genuinely a fantastic company. However, despite my admiration for the blue and white roundel, I don’t find many of its cards particularly beautiful. Purposeful, yes. Functional, definitely. High performance? Yes. But beautiful? Not many are.
But the 6 Series Gran Coupe most definitely is.
Those sultry lines, low-slung roofline and massive wheels and wheel arches give the 6 Series Gran Coupe an almost super model look. Then comes the noise. The exhaust, from either engine, makes an aggressive yet sophisticated sound, one befitting such a good looking, sporting GT car. Because that’s what the Gran Coupe is — a GT car.
I think that’s another reason the Gran Coupe is so seductive, that it’s a Grand Tourer. There’s a certain romanticism to GT cars. They’re made to take long journeys in, in comfort, speed and style. If you can’t picture taking a journey through the more scenic parts of Europe in a 6er GC with someone beautiful in the passenger seat, then I question the merits of your imagination. The Gran Coupe is a master of seduction, something that’s sadly missing from other BMWs today.
That isn’t an indictment towards the rest of BMW’s lineup; those other cars have other purposes than to seduce. The X1 wasn’t invented to woo, for instance. But there’s no denying the polarizing attraction the Gran Coupe has that other BMWs do not.
Sadly, I think the BMW that suffers from being in the Gran Coupe’s shadow most is the 7 Series. Dubbed BMW’s flagship car, the 7 Series should be the pinnacle of desire for the brand. And while the 7 Series is probably the more luxurious of the two and the more liveable car everyday, I’d still choose the Gran Coupe over it 10 times out of 10. It, to borrow a line from James May, just gives me the fizz.
TEST DRIVE: BMW 640d Gran Coupe
Don’t mistake me, the 7 Series is a great car, it just isn’t a lust-worthy one. At least in comparison to the 6 GC it isn’t. The 7 is definitely better value, at $74,000 to start versus the the 6 GC’s $78,300. Plus the 7 has room for three in the back if need be, with considerably more head room, and has a bigger trunk. But if I’m spending three quarters of a hundred grand, I want something that’s going to give me some fizz. At the price, I want something that I look at everyday with excitement because I get to drive it.
That’s another advantage the 6er GC has over the 7, how it drives. The 7 drives fine, in fact it drives very well, especially for a car of its size and weight. But the 6 Series Gran Coupe drives exceptionally well. It’s more of a sports car, it’s exciting to drive. The 7 is the more luxurious, relaxed car of the two. Which, again, isn’t an indictment. Being relaxed and luxurious is the sole intention of the 7 Series.
I like the 7 Series quite a bit, and I’m sure there are many people who’d choose it over the GC. It is fantastic, but the 7 Series is like a fine wine. It needs to linger in your mouth a bit before it’s true flavors come out.
The 6 Series Gran Coupe is like a Krug Grande Cuvee champagne, from the moment the bottle pops all the way down to the last drop, it gives you the fizz.
