2018 BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo First Look

BMW took the wraps off of the 2018 6 Series Gran Turismo. Measuring 200.9 inches long, 74.9 inches wide, and 60.6 inches tall, the 6 Series Gran Turismo is a full-size car that combines elements of a sedan, crossover, hatchback, and coupe into one vehicle. Many of the components of the 2018 BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo—including the tailgate—have been built with aluminum to keep the car’s weight down. Only one model will be offered, the 640i xDrive Gran Turismo, which starts at $70,695.

From the front, the 2018 BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo looks like the flagship 7 Series with a similar headlight design and standard adaptive full LED headlights and hexagonal LED light accents. The car’s twin kidney grille has also been revamped and now features active grille shutters to improve aerodynamics. It works in conjunction with the air curtains and air inlets on the side of the car. Out back, the 6 Series Gran Turismo features an active rear spoiler that deploys at speeds of over 75 mph to help reduce lift and improve its drag coefficient.

Inside, the 6 Series Gran Turismo features a five-seat layout with 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats that are power operated and have been tailored with long drives in mind. With the rear seats down, BMW says there’s up to 65 cubic feet of cargo space. The load height has also been lowered by 2 inches. Front sport seats are standard, and multicontour seats are optional. The rear bench layout can also be swapped in favor of electrically adjustable comfort seats that recline. The 6 Series Gran Turismo also features a slightly taller ride height than your average sedan or hatchback.

On the tech side of things, the 2018 BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo comes standard with iDrive 6.0, which features a 10.25-inch touchscreen and navigation. A 1,400-watt Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system and Apple CarPlay compatibility are optional. BMW’s Active Driving Assistant, which combines active blind-spot warning, lane departure warning, daytime pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, and speed limit info. You can also upgrade the 6 Series Gran Turismo’s active safety feature suite with the Driving Assistant Plus package, which adds adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go function, active lane keeping assist with side collision avoidance, traffic jam assistant, evasion aid, and front cross-traffic alert. The adaptive cruise control system can bring the car to a complete stop and automatically start moving again after 30 seconds.

The only powertrain option is a 3.0-liter turbo I-6 with 335 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. BMW estimates that the 640i xDrive Gran Turismo will do the 0–60-mph run in 5.1 seconds. The transmission also takes data from the navigation system so that it can engine brake or prevent unnecessary gear changes when taking turns. In Eco Pro mode, the coasting function activates and decouples the powertrain between 30 and 100 mph when the driver lifts off the gas.

There’s also a new suspension layout with control arms up front and a five-link setup in the rear. The rear axle also comes standard with an air suspension with an automatic self-leveling function to maintain the car’s ride height and control vibrations. An adaptive suspension system comes as part of the Dynamic Handling package and adds a two-axle air suspension plus Dynamic Damper Control to improve ride and handling. The two-axle air suspension also allows the driver to manually raise the car by 0.78 inch or lower it by 0.39 inch. At over 22 mph, the car lowers itself back to its normal height and then to its lowest setting at over 75 mph. In addition to Comfort, Sport, and Eco Pro modes, the adaptive suspension also adds Comfort+ and Adaptive modes, the latter of which uses navigation data to adjust the way the car responds when you take turns and approach intersections.

Other available features in the 2018 6 Series Gran Turismo include a new head-up display that projects information in a larger area, a parking assistant that can get you into a parallel or perpendicular space, and the remote control parking system that allows you to use the display key to park your car. The 6 Series Gran Turismo also features car-to-car communication that receives and sends out accident and hazard warnings to other vehicles. There’s also an On Street Parking information service integrated into the navigation system that helps you find available parking spaces on the street.

The 2018 BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo goes on sale this fall.

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