2018 BMW 640i Gran Turismo
BMW seems to on a mission to be all things to all people…or at all least to all luxury car buyers. So, in addition to being early adopters to the luxury SUV game, they’re now trying to fill every niche possible, including ones that only they seem to be competing in. Well, maybe that explains the 6 Series Gran Turismo; let’s see if there is a method to their marketing madness.
It’s hard to classify the 2018 BMW 640i xDrive Gran Turismo. It’s certainly not your typical sedan or hatchback; and don’t confuse it with the 6 Series Gran Coupe either. But, if you remember the 5 Series GT from 2010, think of this 640 GT as its replacement; or perhaps the closest thing to a 5-series wagon that we’re likely to get here in the states.
And like its predecessor, there’s an enormous amount of space inside, thanks to a 120.9-inch wheelbase that’s almost 4-inches longer than a 5 Series sedan.
It’s still a far cry from beautiful, but the design appears much more cohesive than before. The rear remains tall; but in profile, it now looks more like a traditional 5-door hatchback, and less like a truncated wagon.
The aggressive nose, and lots of taut body lines, are all BMW hallmarks, and BMW continues to have some of the coolest headlights out there. Standard wheels are 19s.
You’ll enjoy all of the roominess no matter which seat you find yourself in.
Those up front will also experience the typical BMW sporty cockpit feel; while those in back, will get full-size sedan amounts of legroom and headroom.
Interior design is similar to the 5 Series and just about every other BMW for that matter; high quality materials, large dash-top mounted infotainment screen, iDrive controller, electronic shifter, shift paddles on the wheel, rudimentary manual controls, and great looking wood trim.
And of course available niceties such as a head-up display, soft close doors, 3D surround view, heated seats and steering wheel, panoramic moonroof, and even remote control parking.
Under the power-operated rear hatch is a very wide opening, and 31.0 cubic-ft. of nicely finished space. Folding the seatbacks, ups it to 65.0 cubic-ft. Even though the swoopy roof will cut into cargo height, capacity is directly in between BMW’s X3 and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles, and more than the bulbous looking X6.
Much like the 5 Series, it has the perfect balance of luxury and sportiness. Want to relax and cruise on the highway? It does that with true tranquility and silkiness. Want to whip it around your favorite back road? No problems there either; it stays very flat and responds immediately to every input.
Though our car was aided by the available Dynamic Handling Package, which adds Active Roll Stabilization and Integral Active Steering to the Dynamic Damper Control air suspension. It all works together to make the Gran Turismo’s 4,400-lbs. all but disappear through high speed sweepers.
The experience however was slightly different through our tight cone course. Here, the steering feels over-boosted, and we wished for more feedback from all parts of the car. Yet, grip remained fantastic throughout.
There was traction a-plenty for launching as well; and a launch mode that worked flawlessly, getting us to 60 in just 4.8-seconds.
Power pours on strong, and never lets up; despite a bit of a see-saw weight-transfer effect when the 8-speed automatic transmission triggers a shift. And a healthy bellow from the exhaust accompanied us for the entire 13.3-second trip through the ¼-mile, at which time we were travelling at 105 miles-per-hour.
Making all of this happen, is BMW’s 3.0-liter inline-6 turbo engine; rated at 335-horsepower and 332 lb-ft. of torque. All-wheel-drive is standard.
There’s plenty of whoa to go along with the go. 99-feet was our average stopping distance from 60. We did experience some fade as the runs added up, but there is an awful lot of weight to bring to a stop that quickly.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 20-City, 28-Highway, and 23-Combined. Our average on Premium was just about right on, at 23.2 miles-per-gallon. Making for an average Energy Impact Score, with yearly use of 14.3-barrels of oil, and C02 emissions of 6.4-tons.
Things are as simple as it gets when it comes to pricing; just one version of the Gran Turismo, starting at $71,195, to which you can add a host of options, either in package form or a la carte.
Well, if you were looking for a very luxurious ride with plenty of comfort and performance, there were already plenty of BMWs to choose from. Now you can add one more to the list, the 2018 BMW 640i xDrive Gran Turismo. It is the best of BMW sedans, SUVs, and hatchbacks, all rolled into one. We agree that the brand may indeed be slicing the marketing onion super thin, but if that means competing in a class of one, no one does it better than BMW
Specifications
- Engine: 3.0 liter
- Horsepower: 335
- Torque: 332 lb-ft.
- 0-60 mph: 4.8 seconds
- 1/4 mile: 13.3 seconds @ 105 mph
- EPA: 20 mpg city / 28 mpg highway
- Energy Impact: 14.3 barrels of oil/yr
- CO2 Emissions: 6.4 tons/yr
2025 Subaru WRX tS
Subaru’s “World Rally eXperimental” Gets Tecnica-Tuned Tech
Building on its global rally heritage, WRX has been a standalone Subaru nameplate, marketed separately from garden variety Impreza, for two generations now. And while the current WRX still lacks the full STI treatment, this WRX tS serves up some of that high-performance spice we’ve been longing for.
Before we go flat out into our Track Test of this 2025 Subaru WRX tS, lets open the Subaru dictionary so we’re all on the same page. “tS” stands for “tuned by STI;” and “STI” is an acronym for “Subaru Tecnica International,” the brand’s high-performance sub-group best known for upgrading the WRX— oh, that stands for “World Rally eXperimental,” in case you didn’t know.
All that said, STI has been largely dormant for this WRX generation, but this tS sprinkles more of their engineering magic into the mix. No, that doesn’t mean extra power, but does mean significant chassis-related improvements.
First, electronically controlled dampers, adjustable through the 11.6-inch tablet-style infotainment screen. That meant a softer “comfort” mode on the 10+ hour commute to and from Savannah’s Roebling Road Raceway. But once we were there, it was the firmer “Sport+” setting all the way, heightening response from the WRX’s throttle and already quick dual-pinion power steering system. There’s still some body roll for rally-esque weight transfer, but it’s well sorted and provides the “toss-ability” you want in a WRX.
Though if you do autocross your tS, which we implore you to do, you might feel the six-piston front, two-piston rear Brembo brakes first. The bite is strong, giving good rotation in the corners and plenty of “halt” for this 3,400 lb. compact with minimal fade, keeping us on track all week…until some unfortunate winter weather passed overhead. No worries here, as Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive system got us to the track for some powdered deserts: Frosted donuts served up Michelin style, a set of winter tires different from the grippy Bridgestone Potenza S007 rubber the tS typically rides on. Some prior hot laps of California’s Sonoma Raceway gave credence to those Bridgestones, and showed us what this hot-compact can do in ideal conditions.
It’s well sorted and provides the “toss-ability” you want in a WRX.
Other tS enhancements are cabin-based, namely these beautiful blue Recaros. Most of our staff appreciated their moderately-aggressive bolstering on both street and track. And they’re even heated, too. Another tS-only appointment is this 12.3-inch digital gauge display. It mimics the standard analog gauges with some additional info, but can switch to a navigation mode for more convenient route guidance.
We do wish our tS came in the new Galaxy Purple or the trademark World Rally Blue, but this Crystal White paint wasn’t too shabby, contrasting its Cherry Blossom Red badging and blacked-out lip spoiler. Otherwise, the tS is like any other WRX, down to the hood scoop funneling air to the top-mounted intercooler.
Underneath is the same turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four in all other trims, boxing at 271 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. The freak winter weather stopped straight-line testing, but a 0-60 time estimate of 5.5 seconds is about as spry as you realistically need, pulling strong through most of the tach; though the 6,000 RPM redline required attentive shifting of the six-speed box, which the tS comes exclusively with. The throws are precise, if a little long, and the clutch is wonderfully weighted.
With discontinuation of the Base trim, pricing for the WRX now starts with Premium at $36,920. The tS is at the top of the lineup with the automatic-only GT, both starting at $46,875. All WRXs continue to be made in Gunma, Japan.
If you’re an enthusiast itching to do the tuning yourself, perhaps the 2025 Subaru WRX tS is not for you. But if you want a plug-and-play experience, this is it. While it won’t exactly bestow the loose-cannon, top-level driving skills exhibited by famous WRC drivers upon you, the tS moves this WRX’s game in a direction we’ve so desperately wanted Subaru to take.
Specifications
As Tested
- Engine: 2.4-liter flat-four
- Tranmission: 6-speed manual
- Horsepower: 271
- Torque: 258 lb-ft