WhatCar? BMW 635d Coupé/Convertible 29.11.2007

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The BMW 6 Series has always been billed as a Grand
Tourer, but it has only ever had large petrol engines.

The days of the long journey are now here, with the face-
lifted 6 Series, which has BMW’s 3.0-litre twin-turbodiesel
engine, linked to the company’s latest and greatest six
-speed sports automatic gearbox.

This engine puts out 286hp and 580Nm of pulling power, while emitting just 183g/km of CO2 and covering 40.9 miles for every gallon of diesel, which means you can go an extremely long way at a decent lick.

It’s just as well that the interior is one of the best, then. The seats are comfortable, there’s plenty of space for two, and a merely reasonable amount for four, while the boot is big enough to carry sufficient luggage for at least one long weekend in Nice. It’s all faultlessly built from top-notch materials, too.

Once that long Continental cruise has been dispensed with, and the backroads of Europe beckon, the 635d comes alive. Its steering is light and accurate, if missing a bit of feedback, while turn-in to corners is sharp enough to make you wonder if you haven’t jumped into a Z4 by accident. Once in a corner the Six grips like a trapeze artist and changes direction with a nimbleness which belies its sheer bulk. Imagine Robbie Coltrane as a world-class gymnast and you’re on the right track.

Those who prefer their motoring with a breezier feel can do so in a 635d soft-top, which behaves virtually identically to the coupé, with only a touch more body flex.

BMW 635d Coupé/Convertible