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Inside & Out:
Such is the pace of car development that many rivals to the BMW 6 Series have released new versions of their equivalent models with some - most notably the Jaguar XK - making the 6 Series appear slightly dated, despite its relative youth. As we've said before, the 6 Series definitely has presence, but we've not quite come to terms with the awkward styling at the rear. With cars as achingly pretty as the XK in its list of rivals the lack of beauty can become important when it comes to casting the deciding vote.
Things were always much less controversial on the inside: iDrive may continue to divide opinion and BMW has yielded slightly (in the form of further buttons to eliminate digging down through some of the menus to execute the most popular functions), but there's little to fault in terms of the quality, comfort and accommodation on offer.
Engine & Transmission:
BMW's existing engine line-up was hardly lacking in terms of quality - each of the petrol units in the line-up are gems in their own rights. The addition of a diesel model to the 6 Series range was something we had mused about in the past, but until the introduction of this engine BMW probably lacked the courage to push oil burners into this market sector. However, with the introduction of the increasingly common 3.0-litre, six-cylinder, sequentially twin-turbocharged engine there was little risk of falling short of market expectations.
In actual fact the engine, combined with the latest automatic gearbox, adds more attributes to the 6 Series' list of talents and accentuates many of those already present. The effortless muscularity of the diesel matches the punch of the big petrol engines and the long legged nature actually adds to the refinement, the tacho registering little more than 2,000rpm at motorway speeds with nothing but a murmur reaching the cabin. In addition to this the obvious benefits of economy figures pushing towards the 40mpg mark makes the 635d the sensible choice of powertrain for all but the most ardent petrol fan or power nut.
Ride & Handling:
Our test car was fitted with 19-inch alloys and wide low profile rubber, both of which took their toll on ride quality and refinement. The obvious trade off in terms of outright grip afforded by the larger contact patch is welcome, but ultimately we'd argue that, aesthetics aside, the standard wheel and tyre combination is a happier compromise. The 6 Series has never boasted fabulous traction and the challenge of transmitting the 428lb.ft from the diesel powerhouse to the road is evident in the wet - the traction control light frequently illuminates in tighter turns. However, shorn of these systems, the car is communicative and controllable allowing you to play a little. Even in the dry it's easy to unstick the rear tyres. As ever the car is more comfortable and balanced on open, sweeping roads where it truly excels.
Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:
Of most significance here is the number 40 because that is the mpg figure the 635d managed to nudge at a cruise. This, in combination with a large fuel tank, gives the car a real world range easily in excess of 600 miles - true GT cruising potential. Our overall average of 34mpg is no less impressive, at least matching the best efforts of the 630i, never mind the V8-engined 645i - a car the 635d can match in terms of everyday performance.
Overall:
It didn't take the mind of a rocket scientist to come up with this combination of GT and the world's best diesel engine, but BMW's courage to bring it to the market place is admirable; it raises the 6 Series' game to a new level. One can't help feeling that the competition will follow: a turbodiesel Jaguar XK is a mouth-watering possibility, but for now the BMW 635d enjoys a free reign as something of a pioneer in its class.
The Car Enthusiast | Reviews | BMW 635d Sport road test
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