BMW 630d xDrive GT

With a length of more than five metres, a curb weight of almost 2,000 kilos, a six-digit euro price tag and a BMW logo on the bonnet, you can expect a lot from the car right from the start.

This time we test drive an interesting new BMW model to challenge the traditional luxury saloon models with its spaciousness.

the 6 GT offers huge space in the front, with the space of a prestige car in the rear seats and a 610-litre boot that is almost 100 litres larger than the 7 Series.

Luxury ride

The new 6 Series GT is definitely at its best when touring on the motorway. With its model number, the 6 GT is easily perceived as something between the current 5 and 7 Series.

In reality, however, the 6 GT is very much more like BMW’s flagship 7 Series. After all, the 6 GT is 80 % based on the 7 Series.

The rear passengers are in for a treat. There’s plenty of legroom, the backrest can be reclined slightly and the window shades can be raised at the touch of a button.

An optional rear entertainment system is also available, with 10.2-inch screens for watching TV programmes, surfing the web or connecting a games console.

BMW has also made it a habit on some models to include a centre console in the rear seat, which limits the space in the back to just two passengers.

however, the 6 GT does not have a centre console, which is a good solution for customers with families. The large boot and five seats make it possible to take a larger group on a trip with all their luggage.

The interior is crowned with beautiful brown Comfort seats. BMW is definitely at the top of the market when it comes to seat design. The extremely well-designed seats are adjustable in many directions from the neck and side support. The aesthetically beautifully quilted seats provide not only support but also eye candy.

Feel the mass behind the wheel

If the rear passengers are comfortable, it’s easy to enjoy the ride behind the wheel too. With almost two thousand kilos of kerb weight, you won’t go unnoticed on the driver’s seat. The ride could be described as spectacular.

The 630d is the model name of the test car, so it’s powered by a three-litre inline six. With a maximum power output of 265 horsepower and a maximum torque of 620 newtons, the car moves along at a brisk pace on paper. Acceleration from zero to 60 km/h in six seconds leaves most of the other competitors behind.

The car’s mass and size clearly create a momentum blind spot. Even at high speeds, the driver’s seat feels quite relaxed, although in reality the speedometer tells a different story. The Gran Turismo moniker, which describes the sheer size and speed of the car, is well deserved.

New aspects of BMW driving dynamics

One of the fundamental pillars of BMW has always been good, responsive handling. Good driving dynamics are usually easily judged by good steering feel, and the way the driver feels the road contours behind the pedals compared to the way the eyes sense the road.

For larger cars, good driving dynamics also requires the manufacturer to take into account the high mass. In the case of the test car, the optional air suspension changes the character of the car from one extreme to the other as required.

At the normal Comfort setting, the air suspension perfectly implements the soft, prestige car style. The ride is just as refined as you’d expect.

However, between the gear stick and the driver is an M-Sport button, which, when pressed, provides medicine for the driver’s inner sports car spirit. The front seat changes its shape to a more cup-like shape to better support the driver, throttle response becomes more responsive and the chassis becomes significantly stiffer.

It’s great to see how the air suspension makes the car feel like a traditional and stiff BMW. However, once you get used to the 6 GT’s comfort-focused luxury feel, you don’t immediately miss the more tactile chassis that is typical of BMW in the 6 GT.

Things that make everyday life easier

In an electrifying world, reversing sensors and electronic driving aids are becoming commonplace, even in more affordable models.

However, the 6 GT is a good example of how the development of electronics continues and customers expect ever easier usability from the products they use.

Big interiors mean big exteriors. Parking sensors and cameras have been implemented visually in a very elegant way in the 6 GT to help the driver perceive the exterior dimensions and obstacles around the car.

Cameras around the car capture the surroundings in great detail and give the driver a good 360-degree view via the dashboard iDrive screen. Parking in a car of this size is almost made easier by relying on the image from the cameras and the sensors in the reversing sensors.

When driving close enough to an obstacle, the car shifts to show the obstacle from a bird’s eye view. The front and rear cameras turn sideways when the steering wheel is turned, widening the field of view in the direction you are turning.

BMW models are also available with gesture control, which is rapidly becoming commonplace on mobile phones, for example. For example, BMW Gesture Control allows you to answer and end calls by waving your hand in front of the dashboard. The volume can be adjusted by turning the index finger clockwise or counter-clockwise.

The BMW 6 GT is a safe choice for the quality-conscious connoisseur with a chubbier wallet. The spacious interior means you can now enjoy a great ride even when you have more stuff and friends on board.

Pros:

A prestige car and family car in one package
Excellent driving dynamics for a large car
Bold concept and lack of competition

Maximum engine power: 265 hp.
Maximum torque: 620 Nm.
Acceleration (0-100 km/h): 6.0 s.
Combined consumption: 5.9-5.7 l/100km.
Curb weight: 1955 kg.
Starting price (630d xDrive): €91,476.
Price for the test car with options: €128 733