Road test: BMW 640D has 6 appeal By Tom Hunter Published on Friday 23 March 2012 10:13 Enter the BMW 640d - a Bavarian bruiser with a deliciously swoopy coupe body and the muscle to match. The third-generation 6-Series is longer, lower and wider than the Mk II model, so we're talking sleek. Even the headlights look a bit happier. In fact, we'd say it bears closer resemblance to the original 6-Series from 30 years ago, and that's no bad thing. Take as long as you like to muse upon the timeless appeal of a long bonnet and bulging wheel arches, then jump in - there's room for two tall folks up front and two not-quite-so-talls in the back- and we'll go for a spin. Clearly, BMW has done its homework and knows what options make the Scotsman Motoring team tick. Nappa leather? Tickety-tick. You'll have already noticed, by the way you were pinned back into your seat as we breezed to 60mph in five and a half seconds, that the 640d's diesel engine is strong enough not just to cruise the city, but to power it. Two turbochargers help the motor produce a most un-diesel-like 310bhp. In fact, I bet you barely heard it at all. There are petrol-engined versions of the 6-Series but, for the life of me, I can't figure out why you would choose one of them over this. Yet with all this power comes responsibility. So let's escape from the city, switch the Drive Dynamic Control button into Eco Pro mode and waft around for a bit to see if we bump up the average. Selecting Eco Pro blunts the acceleration, fiddles with the gearshift and reduces power to the air conditioning to make every last drop of diesel go further. A display on the dashboard shows how many miles of fuel you've saved. But, when it's five-to-closing time at Harvey Nicks and caring for the environment plays second fiddle to staking a claim to the last pair of Alexander Wangs on the shelf, choose Sport mode and unleash the beast to get you to the store on time. A devilishly sleek and handsome shower, mind you. CAR: BMW 640d M Sport Coupe PRICE: From £66,745 (£80,080 as tested) PERFORMANCE: Max speed 155mph; 0-62mph 5.5s MPG: 51.4 (combined cycle)