2013 bmw 650i gran coupe m sport

As a journalist, I’m often asked by people what the best vehicle is, and I always have to respond with “what do you want to do with it?”

Very few vehicles excel at more than one thing at a time. That’s the nature of engineering; it’s the science of compromise. But then along comes BMW with the 6 Series Gran Coupé and makes us automotive know-it-alls look silly.

By definition a coupe is a two-door car and a sedan has four. So what is it when a gorgeous coupe-like design reveals four doors and seating for four adult-sized passengers? In this case BMW calls it a Gran Coupé. The engineers have stretched the wheelbase of the 650 Coupe by 113 mm and subtly added a pair of passenger portals to increase the seating to five.

Design:

The 6 Series cars have a grace that comes from being the middle child between the muscular form of the 5 Series and the long-legged elegance of the 7 Series. The proportions are long, low and quite sensual which are thankfully embellished by the stretch to Gran Coupé dimensions. I suspect that this is in part due to the increase in width, which balanced the additional length.

It should be noted here that BMW had spoiled me with an M Sport package ($5,700) 650i xDrive (AWD) with a total of six option packages and a Bang & Olufsen sound system. The corporate look is established with the requisite twin kidney shapes of the front grille, yet these are more aggressively shaped than the more serious 7 Series. Three large air vents below the front bumper added a race-car edge to the front fascia and the Vision Package ($4,200) added active LED headlights, LED fog lights and more lighting technology for the driver inside.

The body lines are both bold and simple with a very nice flow up and along the broad hood, over the sloping roofline and down the rear deck. There are no added-on aero bits, wings, scoops or wings. The M Sport aerodynamics are there if you look for them such as the very subtle crease across the rear edge of the trunk lid. A rear air diffuser works to smooth out air turbulence as it exits from beneath the car, reducing drag.

Also part of the M Sport package are a set of 20-inch aluminum alloy wheels fitted with Performance RFT tires. I found the 10-spoke rims to be a little plain for my taste considering the performance levels of the M Sport 650i.

The interior is what we have come to expect from BMW, lots of black and beige surfaces, touches of textured rubber and form-fitting leather seats. The M Sport gets a luxurious Alcantara headliner, an M badged leather-wrapped steering wheel, M footrest and door sills.

The front seats welcome you with eight-way electric adjustments, thigh supports and heat. The Gran Coupé also has 2+1 rear seating on 60/40 split seats and everyone on board will like the Dakota Leather.

The instrumentation is straight to the point, but perhaps becoming a little bland by sticking so hard to the less-is-more, form-follows-function doctrine.

Performance:

The M Sport spec 650i Gran Coupé really delivers on the promises that its sexy exterior makes thanks to BMW’s DOHC 32-valve 4.4-litre V8 engine and a pair of TwinPower turbochargers that boost up to 445 horsepower and 480 foot-pounds of torque. The eight-speed transmission is a Steptronic unit that allows the driver to take over the shifting cuties with the paddles behind the steering wheel.

If you’re feeling even more frisky, lay a finger on the vehicle dynamics selector button on the console and select Sport or Sport+. This will transform the Gran Coupé from a touring car into a sports car as several parameters such as throttle response, steering stiffness and suspension stiffness are altered. The driving technology features and anagrams would require much more space than is available here but the end result is a superior ride and handling in most real-world situations, not just at a race track.

Driving/utility:

This is one cleverly engineered automobile. It has the good looks of a coupe, the seating capacity of a sedan and the performance of a sports car, albeit a rather large and heavy sports car. There is no denying the facts of length and gross vehicle weight. These are not detrimental to ride quality as the longer wheelbase smooths out undulations in the road surface and the weight (2,064 kg for the Gran Coupé xDrive) adds solidity. But this is no M6 when pushed very hard through the corners.

The styling turned heads regularly for the week I had the car and we laughed at more than one double-take by pedestrians and drivers alike. Was that a coupe or a sedan? I don’t know but it looks great!

The extra Vision Package added night vision with pedestrian detection that is quite remarkable. We have seen their night-vision camera before, but now not only are the infrared signatures of vehicles visible, but people are highlighted with a yellow tint. Although the driver does have to glance at the large display in the dash, it is a technological feat. I’d like to see this evolve into the heads-up display that came with the Technology Package. Imagine a windshield that was enhanced with an overlay of infrared and pedestrian highlighting. Am I dreaming? I think not.

The xDrive adds a level of security that may dull the fine edge of handling, but when the road got slick or in the winter’s snow, you would be very glad to have it. I had the M6 during a recent snowstorm and it wasn’t a relaxing drive.

All this luxury and performance comes at a price (it always does) but when we look at the value, the 2013 650i Gran Coupé xDrive delivers a punch much higher than its weight class. As I mentioned at the beginning of this review, our test car ($99,800) was loaded with extra packages; M Sport ($5,700), Executive Package ($5,400), Technology Package ($4,900), Vision Package ($4,200), Premium Seating ($4,900), BMW Apps Package ($300) and Bang & Olufsen sound system ($5,900 stand-alone option) for a price of $131,100. It’s a high price, but undeniably exceptional value for your money.

2013 BMW 650i Gran Coupé xDrive

Price: $99,800, $131,100 (as tested plus taxes)

Engine: 4.4-litre TwinPower Turbo V8

Power: 445 hp, 480 foot-pounds of torque

Fuel economy: 12.9 litres per 100 km (city), 8.3 litres per 100 km (highway)

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Seats: 4+1

Pros: exterior styling, twin-turbo V8, comfortable seating for 4 adults

Cons: premium fuel, uninspired gauges

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