BMW 640i (F13) review: the grand tourer that does not need the V8
MotorsSouq Editorial Team
The 640i is the more sensible F1x coupe purchase: 320 hp is genuinely quick, the N55 single-turbo six is markedly simpler and cheaper to maintain than the 650i's twin-turbo V8, and the causeway-cruising manners are just as good. Check for the timing-chain rattle common to N55 engines with neglected oil-change history, and confirm the electronic dampers and air-conditioning compressor — both known wear items in Gulf heat — are working properly before you buy.
Pros
- 320 hp N55 single-turbo six is genuinely quick and far simpler to maintain than the 650i's V8
- Lower, wider, more aerodynamic body than the 5 Series with a genuinely upgraded cabin
- 8-speed ZF automatic and 50:50 weight distribution make it engaging on a spirited drive
- Meaningfully cheaper to insure and fuel than the same-generation 650i
Cons
- Shares the N55's documented timing-chain guide wear risk on neglected examples
- Rear seats are occasional-use only and the boot is smaller than a 5 Series sedan's
- Electronically controlled dampers and air-conditioning compressor work hard in Gulf heat
- Costs meaningfully more than an equivalent 535i sedan for largely the same mechanical package
The F13 6 Series coupe sits on the same platform as the F10 5 Series, but BMW gave it a body 40 mm lower and noticeably wider, plus a 50:50 weight distribution that the sedan cannot quite match. The 640i uses the same N55 single-turbo straight-six found in the 535i sedan, and in the lighter, more aerodynamic coupe body it feels every bit as quick in real-world use as the on-paper numbers suggest — 0-100 km/h in around 5.4 seconds is genuinely rapid.
What the 640i does not have is the drama of the 650i's twin-turbo V8, and for most Bahrain buyers that is the right trade. The single-turbo six is a simpler, cheaper engine to maintain, the car is lighter over the nose, and the fuel and insurance bills are meaningfully smaller — all while giving up remarkably little in everyday pace on the causeway or the Sheikh Khalifa Bin Salman Highway.
Living with the F13 in Bahrain
The cabin is where the F13 earns its price premium over a 5 Series sedan: genuinely upgraded materials, a lower driving position, and a sense of occasion that the more common sedan does not quite achieve. Rear seats are strictly occasional-use for adults, and the boot, while usable, is smaller than a sedan's.
Mechanically, the N55 shares the timing-chain guide wear risk documented on the 535i — a cold-start rattle is the warning sign, and neglected oil-change intervals are the usual cause. The F13's electronically controlled dampers and its air-conditioning compressor, worked hard by Bahrain's summers and the car's large glass area, are the other items worth checking specifically before purchase.
Who should buy one
Buy the 640i over the 650i if you want the shape and most of the pace without the V8's running costs, and buy it over a 535i sedan if the styling and driving position genuinely matter more to you than rear-seat practicality. It is a car bought for how it feels to drive and be seen in, not for carrying a family.