Mid-life update with new styling and tech, arriving in Singapore before the end of 2020

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SINGAPORE

BMW has just unveiled the new 6 Series Gran Turismo (6 GT) via an international online broadcast, and the word is that the car is expected to arrive in Singapore at the tail end of 2020.

Once a nameplate reserved for its sporty grand touring coupe, the BMW 6 Series nameplate has evolved into a very different beast.

Since 2017 it has been available in only one body style, the five-door fastback that we know as the 6 Series Gran Turismo, and based upon the current 5 Series. The current-gen car has sold over 50,000 units worldwide.

The new model is the facelift, though BMW’s term for a mid-life facelift these days is ‘Life Cycle Impulse’, usually shortened to just LCI.

Measuring 5,091mm in length, the new 6 Series Gran Turismo is dimensionally identical to the current model, and will begin rolling off the production lines in July 2020.

The new 6 Series Gran Turismo, which BMW states is still a car designed to make long-distance road trips as comfortable as possible while delivering maximum driver enjoyment, will be available worldwide in two petrol and three diesel powered variants.

All of them will feature new 48V mild hybrid technology, which includes a 11hp electric motor to boost acceleration, though the cars cannot run on electric power alone (hence ‘mild’).

The 630i Gran Turismo features a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine with 258hp and 400Nm of torque, while the 640i Gran Turismo will come with a 3.0-litre, turbo in-line six-cylinder engine with 333hp and 450Nm of torque. More on which engines to expect here in Singapore at the end of the story.

The 630i does 0-100km/h in 6.5 seconds, with a 250km/h top speed, and fuel consumption of 6.0L/100km, while the 640i does the same in 5.5 seconds, has a 250km/h top speed, and fuel efficiency of 6.9L/100km.

The diesel variants will be the 620d, 630d, and 640d xDrive, with 190hp, 286hp, and 340hp respectively, though Singapore is not likely to receive the diesel models.

Visually, the car features another redesign of BMW’s famous kidney grille on the nose, and it now flares further out towards the side with the headlights immediately bordering it to give it a more muscular appearance. The slimmer contours of the LED headlights are designed to further accentuate the wide front end of the car.

These new LED headlights will feature an adaptive cornering function, and the BMW Selective Beam non-dazzling High-beam Assistant with matrix technology are part of standard equipment. Two L-shaped daytime driving light sources arranged next to one another, and the outer daytime driving lights now also function as turn indicators.

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The optional M Sport package, which has traditionally been a favourite with Singaporean car buyers, will include a front apron with arrow-shaped surfaces pointing towards the road and mesh elements, and a large diffuser element in the rear end.

All-wheel steering (Integral Active Steering) and air suspension are cost options, although the car comes with rear-axle air suspension as standard, for improved passenger comfort.

Like other more recent BMW models, the 6 GT moves to BMW OS 7.0, the car has a new fully digital instrument cluster (BMW Live Cockpit Professional) and central infotainment display (12.3-inch touchscreen).

BMW’s advanced voice control system, Intelligent Personal Assistant, is onboard, as is smartphone integration via Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

The car will introduce the new Premiere for BMW Maps software for navigation. A new cloud-based navigation system that is capable of updating real-time traffic data at much shorter intervals for more accurate route-planning.

As a car with an emphasis on rear passenger comfort and space, the 6 GT has optional rear seat entertainment, four-zone air conditioning, blinds, and panoramic sunroof.

While the current COVID-19 situation is making things unpredictable on a long-term scale, BMW Group Asia has confirmed that the car will arrive in Singapore during the last quarter of 2020. 

Which variants will be available in Singapore has also not yet been confirmed, though it’s worth noting that currently, only the 630i Gran Turismo is available from BMW distributor Performance Motors.

The new model is very likely to follow the same lineup when it goes on sale here, which means that we could see just the 630i Luxury and 630i M Sport, with prices around the S$300k region, inclusive of COE.

Naturally, this puts the car a step above the new 5 Series sedans, which are priced in the mid-S$200k region. The  BMW 6 Series GT will also go head-to-head with the Audi A7 Sportback, which sits in the same segment but has more of an emphasis on style and coupe-ness, rather than the 6 GT’s plush passenger experience.

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