[9] 640i Bmw In Daily News | [+] MANTIS TILLER

No, the car featured here is not a BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo. That car is gone. This is actually the new 2018 640i Gran Turismo that's replacing it for 2018, meaning the newest 6-Series isn't even trying to be a coupe with its five-door liftback body.

Take a second to let all that settle in. Better? OK, let's move on:

The new 6 Gran Turismo features adaptive LED headlights with hexagonal LED running lights and the company’s Active Kidney Grille that opens movable slats when more cooling is required. The underbody is almost fully enclosed, says BMW, while body pieces in the front air intake and behind the rear wheels cut turbulence. An active rear spoiler deploys at 75 mph and retracts at 50 mph. It comes in 12 colors, with 19-, 20-, and 21-inch wheels. Unfortunately, run-flat tires are the only option. We say unfortunately because we had a BMW 5-Series at the office for a year and went through five of those tires, at 400 bucks a pop, in 12 months.

A luxury package will add chrome and black trim, glossy elements and more expensive-sounding pieces inside.

Like the rest of the “40” cars, the 640i gets BMW’s TwinPower turbocharged 3.0-liter I6 making 335 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque between 1,380-5,200 rpm. That and the all-wheel-drive system push the car to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds with a top speed of 130 mph. BMW will move that limit up to 155 mph if the buyer wishes (and also pays for it).

An eight-speed automatic transmission distributes power using every tool in its box to be extra efficient or extra sporty. For example, if the navigation system detects an intersection coming up, it will downshift. It also prevents unnecessary gear changes when taking two turns in succession. When eco pro driving mode is selected, it decouples the powertrain when the driver lifts off the accelerator. The system also uses its driver assistance programs and a multitude of cameras to decide when to engage the stop/start function.

A double-wishbone front and five-link rear suspension keep the 4,409-pound 6-Series Gran Turismo pinned to the road. That front suspension makes us a little nervous considering it “decouples the wheel location and damping functions to avoid compromising comfort under high lateral acceleration, allowing the steering to remain as unaffected as possible by bumps in the road.” A BMW, even one more focused on luxury, should send at least a little road feel to the steering wheel, being “the ultimate driving machine” and all.

The speed-sensitive steering is electromechanical, while the optional Integral Active Steering option adjusts the rear wheels for quicker lane changes and tight-space maneuvers.

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The rear axle gets an air suspension as standard equipment with load leveling, which even works with an uneven load, side to side. With the optional two-axle air suspension, ground clearance can be raised by almost an inch. Once speed reaches 22 mph, it goes back to standard height. It can drop .4 inches in sport mode or automatically when speeds reach 75 mph.

The standard Driving Dynamics Control switch alternates between eco pro, comfort and sport modes while cars with the dynamic handling package add comfort plus and adaptive modes. Adaptive uses the nav system and other indicators to adjust the car’s responses when approaching turns, intersections, etc.

The tech-laden 6 GT will get the iDrive 6.0 infotainment system with a 10.25-inch touchscreen, gesture controls and head-up display. BMW says its voice command system is seriously upgraded, too, and “now also responds to natural voice inputs.”

Autonomous features under the “active driving assistant” heading include active blind-spot detection, lane-departure warning, daytime pedestrian protection, frontal collision warning w/city collision mitigation, speed limit info, and cross-traffic alert rear. The optional driving assistant plus package also adds active cruise control with stop-and-go, active lane-keeping assistant with side collision avoidance, traffic-jam assistant, evasion aid and cross-traffic alert front.

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Active cruise control now works from speeds between 0 and 130 mph and can brake the car to a standstill. A quick press of the resume button will get you rolling again.

At speeds up to 100 mph, evasion aid will step in during quick lane changes or hard braking, supporting and quickening evasive action. It also reads the area around the car, looking for unobstructed space. At speeds above 100 mph, the system doesn’t help steer but focuses on vehicle stability.

The 6 will come with a self-parking feature called parking assistant, working with the cameras, and will take care of all of the acceleration, braking, steering and gear changes required to squeeze into that spot in front of the post office. It also has remote parking where the driver can get out of the vehicle, using the display key to park, and it’s now available in the U.S.

BMW’s ugly duckling 5 GT didn’t quite become a swan in 6-Series trim, but it does offer loads of tech, a decent hammer under the hood and connectivity for days, if that’s what you’re into. It all comes with a base price of $70,695, including destination. Look for it at dealerships this fall.

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