BMW 630i Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: BMW 630i range
Prices: £49,795 - £57,695 - on the road
Insurance Group: 19
Emissions: 188-198g/km
Performance: 0-60mph 6.9s / 155mph
Fuel Consumption: [Coupe] (combined) 35.8mpg
Safety: twin front and side airbags, DTC traction control, DSC stability control
Dimensions: length/width/height mm 4820/1855/1373

THE LIGHT FANTASTIC

Our Rating: 7.4 / 10

BMW’s entry-level 6 Series might just be the pick of the range. Andy Enright reports

To some ‘the world’s lightest six cylinder engine’ will figure in their buying decisions about as prominently as ‘the world’s most durable suspension turrets’ or ‘the most aerodynamic cup holder in automotive history’. It just doesn’t seem that significant, especially in a car as luxuriously stuffed as BMW’s 630i. But hang on a minute. With less weight hanging out over the nose, there are all sorts of handling benefits. This is BMW, remember, alleged purveyors of ‘The Ultimate Driving Machine’.

The 630i Coupe and Convertible feature a 3.0-litre Valvetronic engine with technology that does away with conventional throttle butterflies in favour of a complex electrically-powered valve lifting system. Constructed from an aluminium and magnesium composite, this engine sits tucked well back in the car’s cavernous engine bay and gives the 630i excellent weight distribution. Less weight also equates to better performance, more agile handling and lower fuel consumption and emissions. BMW also offers a sports package on all 6-series coupes and convertables that improves the driving dynamics and adds a sportier feel to the car.

Despite the modest cubic capacity, this engine punches well above its weight, knocking out 272bhp. On the road this translates into a surprising amount of heft. The sprint to 60mph from rest will disappear in around six and a half seconds. Specify the optional automatic gearboxes and you’ll add a couple of tenths to these sprint figures. All versions run into BMW’s self-imposed electronic limiter at 155mph with plenty to spare yet thanks to a recent programme of what BMW call ‘EfficientDynamics’, the 630i can still manage a combined fuel economy figure of 35.8mpg in Coupe form and 34.0mpg if you go for the drop top.

The 630i is tricky to distinguish from its 635d 3.0 diesel or 650i petrol V8 siblings. Drive one over a set of scales and the 130kg weight saving over the petrol V8 would become apparent but otherwise you’d have to rely on the buyer not having ticked the ‘badge delete’ box on the order form. Prices start at £49,300 for the Coupe and £54,945 for the Convertible and there’s a choice of standard or Sport models in each case.

This is the facelifted 6-Series but you’d really have to eyeball one parked alongside the original car to pinpoint the changes. For the record, the headlamps have the LED technology that is so popular amongst the premium marques at the moment. It takes the form of a thin row of lights above the main projectors. More obvious is the redesigned front valance that accommodates differently shaped air intakes and at the back the bumper has been tweaked it increase the impression of width. Other than that, the grille is fractionally larger and the rear light clusters have been tweaked.

Time was when entry-level BMWs didn’t come with too many buttons to press, owners being confronted with a dazzling array of plastic switch blanks to remind them of their place in the hierarchy. Fortunately these days have long gone and the 630i features a whole host of standard equipment. Leather trim makes the team sheet as do a whole host of standard safety features such as Dynamic Stability Contol, Dynamic Traction Control and Dynamic Brake Control. If, at this stage, you feel your 630i is lacking its full quota of dynamism, you can even opt for Dynamic Drive. Active Steering is also offered.

Dynamic Driving Control is a function very similar to the ‘Sport’ mode on M3 and M5 models. Press a button on the centre console and this sharpens up throttle reaction as well as generating a little more feel from the steering system. When allied to the SMG or Steptronic gearboxes, DDC also shifts gears at higher revs, switching ratios in just 150 milliseconds. Whichever system you choose, you’ll be amazed at the sheer grip generated by the roadroller Bridgestone Potenza tyres. That said, the 6 Series feels just that little bit too big to be a truly effective cross-country tool. On sweeping A-roads, we’ve always found 6 Series models to be magnificent and the 630i should prove to be no different. According to BMW’s figures, third gear is capable of reaching over 100mph and the engine’s gutsy 332lb