We got well-acquainted with the positives and negatives of the FWD-biased AWD BMW M235i xDrive Gran Coupe during our week with it. After we handed back the keys, it made us ask: if more essentially-FWD, non-SUV, Mini platform-mates-badged as Bimmers are in the cards, what would the non-M version be like? Enter the 2020 BMW 228i xDrive Gran Coupe: the M235i GC’s less-athletic sibling. Similarly adorned on the exterior and inside the cabin, though with less power, less suspension tuning, less-grippy tires, and less dollars in its price tag.
Can the M235i xDrive Gran Coupe’s rear end kick out for a fun, controllable drift like RWD BMWs are known for? We genuinely wanted to know for ourselves what it’s like.
This week Chris Amos gets up close and personal with BMW’s all wheel drive, full sized, coupe-like four door sedan. Powered by BMW’s 3.0-liter twinscroll-turbocharged 24-valve inline six-cylinder motor, here making 315 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque and mated to an 8-speed automatic, the 640i xDrive Gran Coupe may be just the thing for those who want a 5-Series with a little more panache.
Following in the tradition of the 6-Series Gran Coupe, BMW has announced the 4-Series Gran Coupe. Much like its 6-Series counterpart, the 4-Series Gran Coupe adds a pair of doors to its coupe counterpart’s silhouette and throws in a hatch-style liftgate in back for a dollop of versatility.
BMW recently invited us to Austin, Texas to drive the new M6 Gran Coupe through the winding roads of the Texas Hill Country and at the Circuit of The Americas. Willing, as we always are, to take one for the team, we accepted.
Just like we said, BMW has unveiled a more powerful version of its stylish Gran Coupe four-door coupe. Powered by the same biturbocharged, 4.4-liter V-8 found in the M6 Coupe and M6 Convertible, the Gran Coupe should be able to sprint to 62 miles per hour in a speedy 4.2 seconds before reaching a limited top speed of 155 mph. For those with a yearning for expensive tickets or that have an autobahn at their disposal, an optional M Driver’s Package will allow a top speed of 189 mph.
According to the Roundel-obsessed crew at BMWBlog.com, the all-new M6 Gran Coupe has received an exclusive unveiling at the Nürburgring, ahead of its official debut at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
All of those German cars are pretty great to drive, ride in, and look at, so we knew going into our time with the all-new BMW 640i Gran Coupe that the bar set was a high one indeed. Of course, knowing the track record of BMW, it’s no real surprise that the Gran Coupe lived up to the standard set by Mercedes, et al. in terms of ride quality and overall on-road poise.
BMW’s 2012 6-Series Gran Coupe will be the first 6-Series in history to go beyond two doors. To improve rear legroom and fit the additional two doors on, BMW has stretched the wheelbase 4.4 inches beyond the regular 6-Series. The Gran Coupe will be wider, lower, and longer than the 5-Series.
At the Beijing Auto Show, BMW revealed the Concept Gran Coupé, a rather dashing four-door styling exercise.