Road test: ‘Docile’ Coupe powers into supercar territory

A rapid trip across Europe proved to me what a brilliant long-range cruiser BMW’s 640d Gran Coupé is. But in case 309bhp just isn’t enough, there is now an M6 Coupé version with 560bhp — more than enough to blow your socks off.

Four massive tailpipes make a muted bellow when the 4.4-litre twin turbo V8 motor rumbles into life, and acceleration of 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds is up in supercar territory. However, this is a docile car to drive slowly and it can dawdle with the best of them when necessary.

BMW claims combined fuel consumption of a class-leading 28.5mpg, although it would take a lot of self-control to ignore the oceans of torque available — all 680Nm of it — to achieve such a figure.

The cabin is, of course, luxurious — but at a price. The extended Merino leather upholstery fitted to the test car is a £6,500 option, and ceramic brakes will add another £7,395 to the cost of a car starting at £93,820 for the coupe and £99,020 for the convertible. The M6 Coupé is one of a raft of new BMWs which have just come to the market. The £36,300 330d Luxury Touring brings estate car practicality to the iconic small executive range, but not at the cost of performance. From rest to 62mph in 5.6 seconds used to be Porsche 911 territory, rather than that of family transport.

The M135i is a 3.5-litre version of the Golf-sized 1 Series, which accelerates to 62mph in 4.9 seconds and still costs just under £30,000, and there is a lower power version of the roomy but slow-selling 5 Series GT. The 520d GT uses BMW’s well tried two-litre diesel engine and makes refined and rather stately progress for £35,705.

BMW M6 Coupe
Top speed: 155mph (limited);
Emissions: 232g/km; Combined fuel consumption: 28.5mpg;
Price: £93,820