2018 BMW 640i xDrive GT

2018 BMW 640i xDrive GT

A luxury Gran Turismo

Test Drive

Written by Marco Carvajal

Photographs by Yuliia Shulzhenko

I am test driving the BMW 640i xDrive Gran Turismo (GT), through Florida. It is a great car for long distance trips on all type of roads.  The beautiful look of the 640i along with its powerful 335 HP engine combines very well with Florida beautiful destinations like Miami, Daytona Beach, Orlando and more.

The German Bavarian company BMW has added the spacious and luxury 2018 BMW 6-Series Gran Turismo. The official world premiere of the BMW 6-Series GT was held in the fall of 2017 as part of the auto show in Frankfurt Germany. Sales of the new BMW 6-Series Gran Turismo started in Europe and America in October 2017 with very good expectations for this 2018.

Introduction

Comparing 640i with the predecessor the 5-Series GT, it is noticeable that the 640 is bigger and more spacious, it has a more stylish exterior and the latest gadgets and toys to satisfy car fanatics. The 640i is a true Gran Turismo, full of practical and dynamic capabilities.

The 640i GT replaced the BMW 5-series GT and it is getting a lot of attention within the BMW lineup.

According to Adrian Van Hooydonk, who is the chief designer of BMW GROUP, the 640i GT was created based on demanding customers, who add great importance to parameters as individuality, elegance and comfort. BMW enhanced the 2018 BMW 640i xDrive GT with explosive dynamics and a practical spacious interior, which makes the car ideal for both families and singles.

The shape of the 640i has a coupe-inspired aerodynamic design that looks elegant and powerful, it combines the long-distance comfort of a luxury sedan with the aesthetic appeal of a coupe. Smart lightweight chassis construction together with the standard 8-speed Steptronic Sport automatic transmission with paddle shifters provides a great driving experience.  Improved aerodynamics featuring BMW Active Kidney Grille, Air Curtains, Air Breathers and active rear spoiler, a double wishbone front suspension, standard rear air suspension, and the award winning 6-cylinder engine featuring BMW TwinPower Turbo technology provides a sporty and dynamic riding satisfaction among many other GT cars.  The optional Harman Kardon surround sound system will enhance the audio entertainment inside this GT.

I could think that this will be BMW’s hit best seller, however the $70K price can limit the aspirations and wishes of many car buyers. For those that can afford this price, this might be a great buy when considering all the features and benefits of the BMW 640i GT.

BMW History

The name BMW, stands for “Bavarian Motor Works” (Bayerische Motoren Werke). This prestigious car company specializes in the production of motorcycles, cars, sports cars, high-cross-country cars. BMW’s headquarters are located in the capital of the federal state of Bavaria, the city of Munich, known for its multiple universities and Bavarian culture.

The history of BMW begins with two small aircraft engine firms, created respectively by Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto (the son of Nikolaus August Otto, the inventor of the internal combustion engine) in 1913 in Munich. Next year begins the First World War, and the German state begins to feel a great need for aircraft engines. This moves the two designers to unite into one plant and put their own history on the trail, creating the base for what we know today as BMW.

In July 1917 the new plant registered the name Bayerische Motoren Werke, and the BMW brand started to gain life.

Pricing

2018 BMW 640i xDrive GT has a price range starting at $70,000.  This is a real European Gran Turismo (GT), it has several features for extended long driving, spacious interior and trunk. It is not a cheap car, but for GT lovers, the price is worth it.

Exterior

The Exterior of the 640i comes with fully LED head optics and parking lights with LED filling, cool lights everywhere. this BMW has a dynamic and stylish body with a long hood and a roof dome, rapidly flowing on a graceful stern, side doors without frames for glasses. Stylish image is enhanced by the 2018 BMW Gran Turismo 20-21 inch alloy wheels, available as an option (standard 17-inch wheels). Nice exterior details include an active spoiler that automatically rises when the speed reaches 74 miles per hour and retracts at a speed of less than 50 miles per hour.

Comparing 640i with the predecessor the 5-Series GT, it is noticeable that the 640 is bigger and more spacious

Exterior Features

• Air Curtains and Air Breather system
• Active kidney grille
• Electronic throttle control
• Auto Start-Stop function
• Electronically controlled engine cooling (map cooling)
• Brake Energy Regeneration
• Driving Dynamics Control with ECO PRO, COMFORT, and SPORT modes
• 8-speed Sport Automatic transmission with Sport and Manual shift modes and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters and Launch Control
• V Spoke bicolor light alloy wheels (Style 685), 19 x 8.5; and 245/45 run-flat all-season tires
•  Icon Adaptive Full LED Headlights
• Automatic high beams
• LED fog lights
• Power-folding, heated side mirrors
• Chrome-line exterior trim
• Black Chrome exhaust tips
• Non-metallic paint
• Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), including Brake Fade Compensation, Start-off Assistant, Brake Drying, and Brake Stand-by features; with Dynamic Traction Control (DTC)
• Twin-tube gas-pressure shock absorbers
• Double-wishbone multi-link aluminum front suspension
• Integral-V multi-link aluminum rear suspension
• 4-wheel ventilated disc brakes with anti-lock braking system (ABS), composite front rotors and Dynamic Brake Control (DBC), brake-pad wear indicators and Cornering Brake Control (CBC)
• Electromechanical parking brake
• Electric power steering
• Servotronic power-steering assist
• xDrive all-wheel-drive system
• Self-leveling rear air suspension

Interior

The interior of the new 2018 BMW 640i xDrive GT is similar to the BMW 5-Series (G30), but it comes with more space in the back seat and the trunk. The dimensions of the trunk are impressive and range from 610 liters at the standard position of the second row backs to 1800 liters, provided they are added. The trunk door is by default electric, and as an option, a non-contact opening system is offered with the help of a foot swing under the rear bumper. More interior features include a separate backrest 40/20/40 second row with the possibility of folding with the help of an electric drive (the button is located in the trunk).

Interior Features

• 16-way power front sport seats including 2-way power side bolsters, 4-way lumbar support and memory system for driver’s seat and steering wheel
• 40/20/40 split fold-down through-load rear seats
• Dakota Leather upholstery
• Fineline Ridge Wood trim
• Anthracite headliner
• SensaTec dashboard
• Floormats
• Anti-theft AM/FM in-dash stereo CD/MP3 player with Radio Data System (RDS)
• HiFi Sound System with 12 speakers and 205-watt digital amplifier
• HD Radio™ with “multicast” FM station reception
• SiriusXM® Satellite Radio with 1-year All Access subscription
• 3-spoke power tilt/telescopic leather-wrapped multi-function sport steering wheel with controls for audio system, cruise control, and Bluetooth® wireless communication for hands-free mobile phone
• Enhanced USB and Bluetooth® including Mobile Office features; Dragon Drive! Messaging Dictation, a 60-day trial subscription upon activation. Messaging service provided by Nuance®
• Rear-view Camera
• iDrive 6.0 system with Touch screen, touchpad Controller and 7 programmable memory buttons
• BMW Navigation system with 10.2″ high-resolution Touch screen; 3-D maps; 200 GB hard drive with 20 GB storage for audio files; Voice command system with Natural Language Understanding; and Over-the-Air (OTA) updates for map data up to 4 times annually
• 12.3″ Dynamic Digital Instrument Cluster
• Dynamic Cruise Control
• Expanded Check Control vehicle monitor system
• ConnectedDrive Services
• BMW TeleService
• Advanced Real Time Traffic Information
• Tire Pressure Monitor
• Rear-window defroster
• Outside-temperature display
• Speed Limit Info

Comfort and Convenience Features

The BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo is the first BMW with a standard Active Driving Assistant, a great tool, almost like having a live co-pilot.

• Engine Start/Stop button
• Advanced Vehicle & Key Memory includes most recently used climate-control temperature and air-distribution settings; exterior mirror and power seat settings; audio tone settings and radio presets; central-locking preferences; and lighting preferences
• Comfort Access keyless entry with multi-function remote control, and hands-free tailgate opening/closing
• Panoramic moonroof with 2-piece glass panel, power slide and lift control, wind deflector, and power interior sunshade
• Automatic climate control with separate left/right temperature and air distribution controls, with automatic air recirculation
• Micro-filter ventilation system with replaceable active-charcoal filters
• Automatic tilt-down of passenger’s side-view mirror (when car is shifted into reverse gear) for visibility of curb when backing up
• Power windows with key-off and “one touch” up and down operation both front and rear, anti-trapping feature, opening from remote, and closing from exterior lock
• Rain-sensing windshield wipers with adjustable speed and automatic headlight control
• Power tilt/telescopic steering wheel with automatic tilt-up for easy entry and exit
• Automatic-dimming interior rear-view mirror and driver’s-side exterior mirror
• Interior courtesy lights with automatic-dimming function
• BMW Extended Ambient lighting includes door handle-area lighting, illuminated driver and front-passenger vanity mirrors, front footwell lights, front and rear reading lights, and 11 predefined selectable interior light designs
• Park Distance Control, front and rear
• Ground-illuminating lights in exterior door handles
• Front map lights and rear reading lights with separate controls for the left and right
• Dual front sun visors with illuminated mirrors
• Dual cupholders in front and rear
• Fold-up rear-seat center armrest
• 3-stage heated front seats
• Front-seat center console with armrest and storage compartment
• Open storage compartments in all doors and front-seatback storage
• Fully finished trunk with remote trunk release
• Power tailgate
• Locking glovebox
• Universal garage-door opener
• Power outlets in front center console storage compartment, rear center console, and in trunk
• WiFi Hotspot including 3 GB/3-month trial
• Wireless charging (Qi charging standard)
• 2x USB ports with 2.1A charging

Safety and Security Features

In the new 2018 640i xDrive GT, BMW has included the Park Distance Control (PDC), which includes front and rear sensors and a Rear-view camera, and the Surround View Camera w / 3D View can display a three-dimensional image of the vehicle and its immediate surroundings from several points of view on the control display.  There is also a standard built-in sim card that allows you to make an Intelligent Emergency Call, automatically identifies your location and the car accident, and with BMW Teleservice Accident Assistance, the system feels low-speed collisions that are below the threshold for airbags.

The system makes it possible to determine available parking spaces automatically, using an ultrasonic sensors, then all the necessary processes for maneuvering is controlled by the system. It takes care of acceleration, braking, steering and gear shifting. Love this feature!

• Adaptive Brakelights
• Programmable LED Daytime Running Lights
• Front and rear Head Protection System (HPS)
• Driver’s and passenger’s front airbag supplemental restraint system (SRS) with advanced technology: dual-threshold, dual-stage deployment; and front-passenger-seat sensors designed to prevent unnecessary airbag deployment
• 3-point safety belts with force limiters and head restraints at all seating positions
• Seat-mounted front side-impact airbags
• Acoustic safety-belt warning
• Front safety belts with automatic pretensioners
• LATCH attachments for child-restraint safety installation
• Automatic-locking retractors (ALR) on all passenger-seat safety belts (for installation of child-restraint seats)
• Impact sensor that activates Battery Safety Terminal disconnect of alternator, fuel pump and starter from battery; automatically unlocks doors, and turns on hazard and interior lights
• Central locking system on driver and front passenger doors
• Active Driving Assistant including Daytime Pedestrian Protection, Frontal Collision Warning with City Collision Mitigation, and Cross-traffic alert rear
• Anti-theft alarm system
• BMW Assist eCall™ includes Emergency Request (SOS button) and Enhanced Automatic Collision Notification
• Active Blind Spot Detection
• BMW Remote Services includes Stolen Vehicle Recovery, Remote Door Unlock and BMW Connected app
• BMW’s Active Protection System detects imminent accidents, then prepares by automatically pretensioning safety belts, closing windows and moonroof, and activating post-crash braking; includes Fatigue and Focus Alert feature
• Lane Departure Warning

M Sport

The optional M-Sport package for 2018 BMW 640i xDrive GT allows you to expand the standard options. This package includes an M Aerodynamic kit with front apron with larger air intakes, a special design for the side skirts and rear apron, side skirt trim, featuring black fins for the Air Breathers, and diffusor-style rear apron.

Also available some external elements including Shadowline exterior trim and 19-inch M Double-Spoke Wheels with All-season Run Flat Tires or Mixed Performance Run Flat Tires. And even available 20-inch M Dual-Wheels with a combined Performance Run Flat Tires as a true upgrade.

The new sports leather steering wheel M, aluminum pedals with exclusive floor mats, and with the option Black Dakota Leather with contrasting blue stitching and a tube. Also with the M Sport package you can add with the optional Dynamic Handling Package adding Integral Active Steering, Active Roll Stabilization and Dynamic Damper Control, Adaptive Drive two axle air suspensions, creating an even more agile driving experience.

Conclusion

the BMW 640i GT is a large Gran Turismo sedan reading to ride with you on any roads and weather conditions. Long distances are not a problem for the 640i, it is made to drive for several hours with several safety features and great performance.

This BMW comes in a wide choice of body colors, light alloy wheels, decorative elements and accessories, variety of packages and extras.

The new 2018 BMW Gran Turismo brings the level of comfort, technology, style and handling of Gran Turismo cars to a completely new high level. The car is ideal for long trips to the whole family, and also provides a high level of comfort and safety for all people in the cabin cars.

The quality of its construction and architecture, makes it a real premium car with high quality plastic, aluminum, natural leather and wood.

The price of the 2018 BMW Gran Turismo starts above $70,000, making this car not available for all car buyers. But there is a market of car lovers looking for a great buy for this price.