BMW 6 series Grand Sport Build Quality

[C240Sport97]

It's motorexpo at Canary Wharf, and the new BMW 6 series Gran Coupe, the CLS's competitor, is on display.

The design is not cohesive at all .. the lines jar, there are far too many lines, the front is ugly with a jaw that's too big, the rear is hideous with lighting that just does not gel with anything -- it's as if the lights have been taken from a completely different car and stuck on.

The side profile is just as bad, it's not elegant, it's not contemporary; it's just plain horrible. It's sort of car shape drawn by kindergarden children.

The interior is very tight .. nowhere near as spacious as the old or new CLS. Worse, the plastics are fisher price quality, more Kia, than BMW. The leather was so coarse and rough, I actually wandered whether it was in fact leather. Artico from Mercedes is leagues ahead.

Perhaps this was a pre-production car.

The dash and the front centre tunnel and console is tyical BMW but in this confined space feels completely out of sorts, much like a rubgy prop trying to squeeze into economy seats at the back of the plance.

And this was a 640i priced at £80k .. the price nearly of a CLS63.

Utter disaster for BMW.

I'll be very surprised if they sell more than a handful.

 

[bpsorrel]

I thought exactly the same when I took a good look at it yesterday!

Did you like the new A class?

 

[C240Sport97]

I thought exactly the same when I took a good look at it yesterday!

Did you like the new A class?

I prefer the B, but wouldn't buy either. A class is appreciably smaller and more compact, with a more interesting design, but not a fan of the front end's MPV looks .. looks like a modern Viano.


Apart from some dodgy plastics on the B pillar trim, interior quality is good.

 

[Ted]

Bring back Chris Bangle!!

 

[Mr Jadefox]

like this?

 

[Mr Jadefox]

A Class - steering wheel was on the wrong side though!

 

[RichardM]

If it is preproduction that may explain some of it. I've sat in such cars before and they can 'feel' very different to the finished production car.

I think it will have no problems selling! The only new BMW that doesn't seem to be selling is the 5 series GT, excluding the 3 series touring/coupe which are nearing end of life.

 

[PXW]

Sorry, but I rather like it Saw one in a car park in Reading and thought it rather striking.

I'm also not over keen on the A class, especially the back end that looks to me like it was stolen from an Audi A3

 

[flat6buster]

Just a pity about the upsweep swage line down the side of the new a class (and b iirc). Bit bangle-y. Original b a seriously handsome machine especially in grey imho.

 

[gIzzE]

I think it will have no problems selling! The only new BMW that doesn't seem to be selling is the 5 series GT, excluding the 3 series touring/coupe which are nearing end of life.

And the 5GT is the best non M BMW in the range at the moment, in that it does what it is meant to do perfectly, where as none of the others really do.
Actually, that's not fair, the new 1 and 3 series are also very good, but the 5 series is no longer top of the heap imho, and the 7 series is still beaten by the outgoing S Class.
While if you want a 4x4 others do it so much better.

 

[gIzzE]

Also, the 5 GT has only been available with 6cyl engines, so a starting price of £47,000 through to £60,000 base model, however people have been asking for a 520d GT and I think they are launching it, at around £36k.

That is then a lot of car for the money, it is after all a 7 series hatch rather than a 5 series and reeks of quality compared with other models in the range.

 

[A-AvantGarde]

I didn't think much of the 5 GT initially, my wife's uncle has one and it's actually quite a nice car and is starting to look like a decent used buy.

Agree that the pricing of it seems 'off', but as far as I understand it's largely F01 7 Series running gear & tech as opposed to 5 series. Doubt it was expected to be a huge seller, it's a niche market car.

 

[st4]

Whats wrong with a standard 5 series with the selectable dampers and non 4 wheel steering. Bet thats a good set up on Msport.

 

[gIzzE]

Still feels fidgety to drive, neither that focused or comfy (not bad at either but too much of a compromise on both) and the car feels very big from the inside while managing to feel a little cramped in the drivers seat.

Don't get me wrong, it is far from a bad car, but it is pandering to the masses and the American market imho, and that is not why BMW had such devoted fans, they bought their cars for a reason, they were on another level, but not any more.

 

[st4]

Still feels fidgety to drive, neither that focused or comfy (not bad at either but too much of a compromise on both) and the car feels very big from the inside while managing to feel a little cramped in the drivers seat.

Don't get me wrong, it is far from a bad car, but it is pandering to the masses and the American market imho, and that is not why BMW had such devoted fans, they bought their cars for a reason, they were on another level, but not any more.

Buy a standard one with sports seats (they look a lot better) and shove in non OEM springs and dampers. That would fix it. Its a seven series platform so boot space and comfort levels should be ace.

It looks lovely inside and out, and I quite like a costetting feeling cabin (why I like the 211, feels snug but not cramped). I'm not the best judge of spaciousness as I found the E90 fine and sat behind my 6ft4 mate in this golf fine for a 2hour jolly....

I am a sucker for a nice styled car, and would have one for styling over a 212 anyway. Why I bought a 211, couldn't face looking at an E60 BMW

 

[gIzzE]

I didn't think much of the 5 GT initially, my wife's uncle has one and it's actually quite a nice car and is starting to look like a decent used buy.

Agree that the pricing of it seems 'off', but as far as I understand it's largely F01 7 Series running gear & tech as opposed to 5 series. Doubt it was expected to be a huge seller, it's a niche market car.

Yeah it is a 7 series.
The chauffeur market etc. are starting to buy into them in a big way now too.

My old man had a 730d sport and sold it for the new 5 series and hated the 5 series, after trying loads of cars out including X5, X6, S350, E350, 740d, XF and a few others it came down to him falling big time for the GT.
He has had it 18 months I guess and loves it, however the dog can't get in it anymore as her legs have gone so he may have to sell it.

But looking round his 10 plate with 30k miles will probably get around £24k, that is a hell of a lot of car for the money, he has the dynamic pack so controllable chassis, dampers, throttle etc. plus pano roof, sport seats, 20" wheels, bluetooth, nav prof., online stuff, etc. etc.
That was a £55,000+ car so will be an incredible buy for someone.

 

[gIzzE]

Buy a standard one with sports seats (they look a lot better) and shove in non OEM springs and dampers. That would fix it. Its a seven series platform so boot space and comfort levels should be ace.

Boot space is shocking!!
He had the touring and couldn't even get his golf bag in without it coming over the top of the rear seat!!


They were trying out a new suspension arm to try and get over the twitchy ride a year or so back, but never really heard anything more about it, seems to have just got swept under the carpet.

 

[st4]

The E90 is so amazing I think they have built a car that cannot be bettered.

 

[gIzzE]

Yeah the E90 is a cracker once you get it off the run flats.

I had 2 of them, and both were great, the 320d sport and then 335i sport.

330i is the pick of the bunch imho, sublime engine, great prices used and can return pretty good mpg too.
The later 272bhp version I managed 498 miles over 2 days and one tank, 38mpg, and in a loan car you don't exactly take it that easy.

 

[DanSL]

Wanted the matt blue M5 next to it badly