Monday 4th July 2011

Four-Wheel Drive Coming To BMW 6-Series...

...but not quite yet. There's the M Sport spec and an oil-burner to deal with first

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As we were in Munich late last week poring over the spec for the new 6-series coupe BMW quietly revealed to PH (possibly accidentally) that all-wheel-drive will be coming to UK-spec saloon and coupe BMWs - including the 6-series.

But although the xDrive BMW 650i coupe will go on sale (in the US at least) later this year, we'll have to wait a little while (and BMW won't say how long) before we get the option of four driven wheels on Blighty-bound 6-series models. Oh, and don't worry, BMW hasn't given up on good ol' rear-wheel drive just yet - its xDrive offerings will be 'in addition to' rather than 'instead of'...

What we do know is what the M sport package will be like, when the car goes on UK sale on 15th October this year. For £4665 (or £4500 for the 650i M Sport) more than the standard 6-series coupe (which in 'base' 640i spec costs a not insignificant £59,550 anyway) you get new 19in alloys (20in on the 650i), chunkier bumpers and side skirts, dark chrome exhausts, an M Sport steering wheel and sports seats.

BMW has also announced the spec of its oil-burning version of the 6-series coupe, the 640d. Expected to make up 90 per cent of UK 6-series sales, the twin-turbo straight six provides a pretty thumping 309bhp and 465lb ft of torque. this is good enough for 0-62mph in 5.6secs and the inevitably limited top speed of 155mph, whilst the 640d only gobbles a gallon of diesel every 51.4 miles on the official combined cycle (yes, we know this isn't What Car?, but that really isn't bad going for such a big, fast car)...

 

[Tomoose85]

God this diesel lump sounds impressive. I love the interior of the new 6 series too, it looks like a magnificent package overall.

[toppstuff]

This statement deserves highlighting "this is good enough for 0-62mph in 5.6secs and the inevitably limited top speed of 155mph, whilst the 640d only gobbles a gallon of diesel every 51.4 miles on the official combined cycle

This is staggering. Less than a decade ago 150 mph cars were surely doing half of this mileage. Very impressive. I wonder what the "real world" mpg will be though?

Still bloody impressive though

[Mermaid]

"Oh, and don't worry, BMW hasn't given up on good ol' rear-wheel drive just yet"

Really? Once they adopt 4wd, I suspect they will dump RWD rather quickly except for the 6 series type of car.

[britsportscars]

Mermaid said:

"Oh, and don't worry, BMW hasn't given up on good ol' rear-wheel drive just yet"

Really? Once they adopt 4wd, I suspect they will dump RWD rather quickly except for the 6 series type of car.

Will be interesting to see what they do... They're talking about a FWD platform for a small BMW

[Dino D]

Mermaid said:

"Oh, and don't worry, BMW hasn't given up on good ol' rear-wheel drive just yet"

Really? Once they adopt 4wd, I suspect they will dump RWD rather quickly except for the 6 series type of car.

BMW have made and sold 4x4 models for some time (not in UK though) - I think from e46 onwards (maybe earlier but the oldest 4x4 model I have seen in Europe was a e46).

[Kong]

toppstuff said:

This statement deserves highlighting "this is good enough for 0-62mph in 5.6secs and the inevitably limited top speed of 155mph, whilst the 640d only gobbles a gallon of diesel every 51.4 miles on the official combined cycle

This is staggering. Less than a decade ago 150 mph cars were surely doing half of this mileage. Very impressive. I wonder what the "real world" mpg will be though?

Still bloody impressive though

I agree, you have to take official figures with a pinch of salt. But even if you could get a real 45mpg combined, thats still fantastic for a MASSIVE car with 300bhp.

I still don't understand why so many people who have £60k+ to blow on a car go for the diesel version to save a bit of money on fuel. Particularly since they are happy to trade the car in for £35k less than they paid for it just 3 years before. Unless I was doing huge mileages or it was a company car then it would have to be the V8.

[Fun Bus]

Dino D said:

BMW have made and sold 4x4 models for some time (not in UK though) - I think from e46 onwards (maybe earlier but the oldest 4x4 model I have seen in Europe was a e46).

iX models did make it to the UK briefly. The E34 was available in '525iX' model form.

[yinujim]

They also did a E30 325iX

[Beefmeister]

51.4mpg + 80 litre fuel tank =.......

[manmaths]

900 miles on a tank?!

[/manmaths]

Christ, this may just be the ultimate GT with that kind of performance and range.

[GTEYE]

Fun Bus said:

iX models did make it to the UK briefly. The E34 was available in '525iX' model form.

And also an E30 325iX that was briefly on sale in the mid-80s I recall

[Mermaid]

yinujim said:

They also did a E30 325iX

The Swiss special - highest sales were in Munich area & in Austria & Switzerland. Marc Surer, the F1 driver, owned one of these.

[bakerstreet]

Don't believe the 50mpg. I recon it will be more like 40-45 mpg. They are aiming to get the new range rover averaging 40mpg. Now that wll be impressive!

I'm hoping the 40D engine will be making it into the new 3 series

[Oddball RS]

Why does everyone believe the manufacturers own figures, BMW are notorious for fiddling BHP, 0-60, 0-100, and MPG figures, come on people wise up.

[British Beef]

Just when I thought the new 6 series could not get any heavier........ they add 4 wheel drive.

All fine for a motorway crunching GT, but not much in this new 6 series for sports car enthusiasts.

[Fun Bus]

GTEYE said:

Fun Bus said:

iX models did make it to the UK briefly. The E34 was available in '525iX' model form.

And also an E30 325iX that was briefly on sale in the mid-80s I recall

I nearly said that but doubted it so just quoted the 5-series variant. Thanks for confirming.

[RobM77]

Kong said:

I still don't understand why so many people who have £60k+ to blow on a car go for the diesel version to save a bit of money on fuel. Particularly since they are happy to trade the car in for £35k less than they paid for it just 3 years before. Unless I was doing huge mileages or it was a company car then it would have to be the V8.

I'm no expert on these things, but is it not to do with forthcoming EU rules on emissions, road tax and also company car tax and company rules on emissions?

[Lefty]

Dino D said:

BMW have made and sold 4x4 models for some time (not in UK though) - I think from e46 onwards (maybe earlier but the oldest 4x4 model I have seen in Europe was a e46).

They did X versions of the 5 series in the mid 90's IIRC. Was that the e39?

[Mermaid]

Is anyone thinking that before long the only difference between the two will be - one will have 4 rings on its badge, the other a head office depicting 4 cylinders

[edo]

Amazing car. BMW really are killing the opposition on the engine front these days.

[Riggers]

Oddball RS said:

Why does everyone believe the manufacturers own figures, BMW are notorious for fiddling BHP, 0-60, 0-100, and MPG figures, come on people wise up.

Fair enough, the car makers know how to jump through the right hoops, but everybody has to do the same tests for official EU figures. Now, this may not be a true 'real-world' average, but you most definitely can use it to compare rivals' relative fuel consumption...