The good: Regenerative braking and an eight-speed transmission help the 2013 BMW 640i Gran Coupe save fuel. The navigation system includes Google search, while the ConnectedDrive app brings in Facebook and Twitter feeds. The Bang & Olufsen audio system produces excellent sound.
The bad: The ConnectedDrive app is only available for the iPhone.
The bottom line: Performance tech in the 2013 BMW 640i Gran Coupe lets it be a luxury cruiser and a nimble sports car, while the cabin electronics give drivers unparalleled levels of help and entertainment.
I knew the 2013 BMW 640i Gran Coupe was going to treat me right when I found that one of the seat adjustment buttons activated a massage feature. That the metal speaker grilles were inscribed with Bang & Olufsen told me, as did the acoustic lens rising from the middle of the dashboard, the stereo would make beautiful music. And BMW Apps, buried under a few menus, added the novelty of reading out my Facebook and Twitter feeds while cruising down the highway.
In subsequent days driving this new 6-series, I would find many other amenities that make this car a high-tech powerhouse, an excellent example of well-engineered features from wheels to windshield.
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As a four-door version of the 6-series coupe, I was prepared to be dismissive, hewing to the definition of a coupe as only having two doors. BMW's clever use of the word "Gran" in front of "Coupe" gives some cover, but the real justification comes from looking at the thing. Its sleek, long and low body oozes a combination of sports car flair and big German cruiser. The rear doors do nothing to compromise the design, and the rear seats are more than adequate.
I did have faith that the Gran Coupe, with its 640i designation, could do quite well without a V-8, relying instead on BMW's 3-liter inline six-cylinder, assisted by a twin-scroll turbocharger. The coming of peak oil might dictate lower displacement, but BMW manages to crank 320 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque out of this engine, the turbo, direct injection, and some very clever valve engineering all extracting more power from every ounce of gasoline than ever before.
That faith was rewarded when, with every sport setting in the 640i Gran Coupe that could be activated online, I mashed the gas pedal and got a combination of satisfying push and lightly growling engine sound. Sure the V-8 in the 650i is going to turn in a better zero to 60 mph time, but BMW's stated time of 5.4 seconds for the run is more than adequate.
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