640d GC 4days in (possibly still the best car in real world)

640d GC 4days in (possibly still the best car in real world)

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Ares

Original Poster:

11,000 posts

119 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
I exploded on PistonHeads here last week: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

I’m now four days into 640d Gran Coupe ownership. I’ve been lucky to own some great cars in my life, to have driven some even greater cars, and raced some greater cars still….. But this 640d GC is still impressing me more then (just about) any other car I’ve driven……on the road at least.

Possibly the finest interior I’ve sat in, and one of the best looking four-doors around. But its the drive that is blowing me away. The car belies it’s bulk and is really quite nimble, long wheel base notwithstanding. The ride quality is great despite the scaremongering about the 30-profile run-flats. Yes it’s firm, but still rides very well. Sport mode adds a great deal of purpose to the ride (although steering feedback could be better), but it’s the engine that it stealing my heart so early on.

In comfort mode it is spritely. Like my old 530d but on steroids…..no real surprise there, but hit sport or sport+ and it changes character, primarily thanks to the 8-speed sports-auto ‘box. The power is prodigious, especially as it passes 3000 rpm. On sports/sports+, the auto box shifts like a dual-clutch manual, instantaneous changes giving genuinely relentless acceleration – whether on flappy-paddles or full auto (yet the ‘comfort’ setting still maintains the traditional, relaxed auto shift). The acceleration appears raw linear. Nail the throttle and the car gets to, and beyond the mystical boy racer KPI derived 60mph without letting up…. I’ve not been brave enough to take it to “too” high a speed, but I’ve yet to experience the rate of acceleration noticeably tail off.

The end result of this is performance like I didn’t expect. A playful exit from a dual carriageway roundabout, with a good friend in his 997S saw him fail to gain ground on me….and saw a look of shock and a text message of disbelief from the same friend within 5 minutes……and that on an engine that was still in the delivery suite, such was it’s youth.


At the other, slightly more beige end of the spectrum, the Eco Pro setting is great. The eco friendly settings (and route planning if desired) are coupled with almost sarcastic reminders of how to drive with MPG at heart rather than the measure of one subsequent character. Overall fuel consumption so far has been just under 41mpg with predominantly local running (and the odd ‘blat’ up a dual carriageway [all in the name of loosening the engine, officer]). The one 15 mile stint sat on a Motorway at (BMW) cruising speed saw the mpg indicator routed resolutely above the 50mpg marker. Once the engines gets past 150 miles, past 1000miles and past 5000, I suspect that whilst an average of 50+ mpg will be the stuff of fiction (or beige tweed wearing), it is still going to me comically good for a 310bhp/460 lb ft big four door.

All in all it’s a hell of a car. It isn’t a sports car. I won’t for one second try and claim it is the better drivers car than my old M3 let alone any of the two-seaters I have been lucky to own….however, in the real world, I genuinely don’t think there is a better 4 door car out there, everything considered.



…..told you I would bang on ad nauseumwink

berlintaxi

8,535 posts

172 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
sleepsleepsleep

edo

16,699 posts

264 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
Glad you like it. My 640d (Coupe) is firmly sitting at 39mpg after 23,000 miles with no effort on my part (I have a fuel card).

It also smashed through its limiter (on a track you understand) last year.

Do you have adaptive suspension, or just normal? Like you I find the ride ok considering the 20" wheels.

crisp packet

125 posts

158 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
A great write up - if you can't vent excitement about a new car purchase on a car forum... Really good to hear some initial real world experiences.
A 640d might not be to everyone's tastes (dull world if it was) but we all get kicks from different things. I've owned 45 cars over the years and my daily is a GT-R (it does a commute surprisingly well) and my faves were probably my second integrale evo (maybe predictably) and a mark 1 Golf Diesel - slow, rubbish handling, rubbish brakes and I loved it - you could drive the nuts off it and not be worried about losing your licence.
I always love to read reviews so thanks.

leglessAlex

5,370 posts

140 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
Nice write up, but you do know there's a forum specifically for talking about your car right? Its called Readers Rides, why not start a thread there?

g3org3y

20,590 posts

190 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
Nice write up. smile

These new diesel engines do seem to be excellent and a genuine (better prospect?) on a daily drive than the M equivalent.

Out of interest, what's the sound like when you put your foot down?

Ares

Original Poster:

11,000 posts

119 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
berlintaxi said:
sleepsleepsleep
I apologise. I'll stick to posting Daily Fail stories in future! wink

Ares

Original Poster:

11,000 posts

119 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
edo said:
Glad you like it. My 640d (Coupe) is firmly sitting at 39mpg after 23,000 miles with no effort on my part (I have a fuel card).

It also smashed through its limiter (on a track you understand) last year.

Do you have adaptive suspension, or just normal? Like you I find the ride ok considering the 20" wheels.
Yes, adaptive. The one I drove didn't have, can't say I notice a massive difference over the first 120 miles!

Ares

Original Poster:

11,000 posts

119 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
crisp packet said:
A great write up - if you can't vent excitement about a new car purchase on a car forum... Really good to hear some initial real world experiences.
A 640d might not be to everyone's tastes (dull world if it was) but we all get kicks from different things. I've owned 45 cars over the years and my daily is a GT-R (it does a commute surprisingly well) and my faves were probably my second integrale evo (maybe predictably) and a mark 1 Golf Diesel - slow, rubbish handling, rubbish brakes and I loved it - you could drive the nuts off it and not be worried about losing your licence.
I always love to read reviews so thanks.
Thanks. Indeed. And ditto.

I can remember doing a track day with the GTR owners club. We were testing bike-engined cater hams at the time. Can't think of a greater miss-match to share track time!!

Motorrad

6,811 posts

186 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
Great cars. 'Real world' a load of bullst.

Best car in the world isn't one of these modern diesel coupes. Fantastic though they are it's like saying 'my girlfriend- best fk in the real world' because you can't get a go on a supermodel.


Ares

Original Poster:

11,000 posts

119 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
leglessAlex said:
Nice write up, but you do know there's a forum specifically for talking about your car right? Its called Readers Rides, why not start a thread there?
I do now wink Assumed such thing came under General Gassing in General Gassing!

Ares

Original Poster:

11,000 posts

119 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
g3org3y said:
Nice write up. smile

These new diesel engines do seem to be excellent and a genuine (better prospect?) on a daily drive than the M equivalent.

Out of interest, what's the sound like when you put your foot down?
Like I said on the other thread, very unlike my old 530d - this sounds similar to a muted V10. Not unpleasant. It's no V8, but doesn't sound like a straining oil burner. Which is nice.

Ares

Original Poster:

11,000 posts

119 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
Motorrad said:
Great cars. 'Real world' a load of bullst.

Best car in the world isn't one of these modern diesel coupes. Fantastic though they are it's like saying 'my girlfriend- best fk in the real world' because you can't get a go on a supermodel.
Thanks for the constructive comments.

I'm sure your wife/girlfriend shares your opinion.

What IS a contender for best car in the real world in your opinion? (real world being actual ownership, using daily, ferrying family/etc about, parking at the supermarket..etc etc)

fjord

2,143 posts

136 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
Fair play, each to their own, your money blah blah blah, (and don't take this as negative), but... holy fking stballs, 75 grand on a car which will get lost amongst all the other diesel repmobiles out there on the motorway.

There's no way that money justifies what it is.

I've never liked the 6-series from the outset, but now, every single BMW seems to have the same old, sad, droopy looking face and it's really put me off them. The new 5-series is an abomination, the 1-series isn't much better, and the only one different from the norm is the 3-series, and even that only looks slightly better (just).

I just think that 75k could have got you so much more.

Lost soul

8,712 posts

181 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
leglessAlex said:
Nice write up, but you do know there's a forum specifically for talking about your car right? Its called Readers Rides, why not start a thread there?
I like it here thanks

Ares

Original Poster:

11,000 posts

119 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
fjord said:
Fair play, each to their own, your money blah blah blah, (and don't take this as negative), but... holy fking stballs, 75 grand on a car which will get lost amongst all the other diesel repmobiles out there on the motorway.

There's no way that money justifies what it is.

I've never liked the 6-series from the outset, but now, every single BMW seems to have the same old, sad, droopy looking face and it's really put me off them. The new 5-series is an abomination, the 1-series isn't much better, and the only one different from the norm is the 3-series, and even that only looks slightly better (just).

I just think that 75k could have got you so much more.
Fair comment.... Beauty in the eye of the beholder etc. I disagree. I think the 6GC is one of the best looking 4-door cars on the market, but then I also like the looks of the 5, just not as much.

What car (similar league) is better looking?
And what could £75k (minus the £22k discount I managed to get) have got me that would the job as well?

Genuine questions. Genuine interest...

Lost soul

8,712 posts

181 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
fjord said:
Fair play, each to their own, your money blah blah blah, (and don't take this as negative), but... holy fking stballs, 75 grand on a car which will get lost amongst all the other diesel repmobiles out there on the motorway.

There's no way that money justifies what it is.

I've never liked the 6-series from the outset, but now, every single BMW seems to have the same old, sad, droopy looking face and it's really put me off them. The new 5-series is an abomination, the 1-series isn't much better, and the only one different from the norm is the 3-series, and even that only looks slightly better (just).

I just think that 75k could have got you so much more.
Haters gonna hate rolleyes

cerb4.5lee

30,041 posts

179 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
I really like these they seem to offer great performance coupled to decent economy I also think they are one of the best looking bmw`s on sale and the interior is such an inviting place too, enjoy it OP.

Ares

Original Poster:

11,000 posts

119 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
kapiteinlangzaam said:
Does this really need another thread?

Just start a topic in readers rides like everyone else.
Again my apologies. Blame my being new to the site and foolishly putting what I saw as being a 'general gas' in 'general gassing'.

Thanks for the warm welcome and understanding though.

chrispmartha

15,278 posts

128 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
Am I missing something how is it a £75k car if you bought it for £53k?