At 4:00am the roads round south Mumbai are excellent for a little bit of a romp. There are lengthy stretches alongside the sea-front the place you may stretch your ‘legs’, elevated roads within the neighborhood have attention-grabbing corners, and most of the enterprise districts are abandoned. Typically, it’s simply you and the owls.
With 4 particular person seats and a centre console that runs the size of the automotive, the low-roofed cabin has a cockpit-like really feel to it.
Measurement would not matter
There’s, nevertheless, one tiny drawback. BMW’s 840i Gran Coupe is simply large. Greater than 5 meters lengthy, and significantly extensive, the Gran Coupe is a veritable tremendous tanker. So, initially, I take it simple. I get on and off the brakes easily – like I’m chauffeuring a head of state – I introduce the automotive to corners with out handing over aggressively, after which even after I run the engine laborious, I solely use a part of the power-band.
You could have to crawl over among the bigger pace humps.
Now, being out this early, I’m eager to see how nicely the BMW drives. The very first thing I discover, nevertheless, just isn’t the dealing with or the efficiency – it’s the trip. The comparatively lengthy wheelbase and the adaptive damping assist the 840i Gran Coupe trip with a stunning quantity of flexibility. Sure, there’s a trace of a thump-thump over bigger potholes, it’s a must to watch out over bigger pace humps, and on its brief springs, the 840i does hop round after I run over some actual dangerous patches. Nonetheless regardless of every little thing, the BMW is rounding off most bumps surprisingly nicely. This might have one thing to do with the truth that this 8 Sequence is operating on 18-inch wheels or that the chassis relies on the 7 Sequence; the Carbon Core chassis and the tremendous stiff central tunnel taking part in an necessary function.
Match, end and particularly high quality ranges are very excessive; cabin design is a bit generic although.
As I start to tug the BMW tougher and tougher, it’s the 340hp turbo straight-six that impresses subsequent. Sure, I miss the preliminary sledgehammer punch of a bigger V8, and the eight-cylinder growl can be lacking. Nonetheless, BMW’s elegant 3.0-litre engine can be massively charming. To start with, it purrs at low speeds. Then, it smoothens up after I spin it sooner and, after I flatten the throttle, the 500Nm of torque simply helps it fly as much as the redline with an enormous surge of vitality. It’s so enthusiastic at excessive engine speeds, it feels nearly as free-revving as a naturally aspirated straight-six. Lengthy pulls to the redline, with town’s roads solely empty at this early hour, really feel notably thrilling.
Including to the sensation of flexibility and responsiveness is the 8-speed torque converter-based gearbox. Quick, easy, and able to lightning fast shifts, the gearbox works so nicely, I’m nearly all the time within the zingiest, meatiest a part of the 840i’s powerband.
Rear centre console extra about model.
Whereas the efficiency of the 840i is much faraway from one thing like an M8, the 0-100kph time of 5.48 seconds (our take a look at figures) may be very respectable and it even will get to 160kph from relaxation in 12.08 seconds.
What actually will get me grinning nevertheless, as I begin to benefit from the corners on among the elevated roads, is the candy steadiness. There’s a litheness and fluidity right here lacking on BMWs extra heavy-footed four-wheel-drive automobiles. After which, what goads me on much more, is that the tougher I drive it, the nicer and higher balanced it feels. General agility, actually, is so good, it seems to be no bigger than a 3 Sequence from behind the wheel. That’s no tongue-in-cheek exaggeration.
It darts into corners with the agility and steadiness of one thing half its dimension.
Completely the very best bit, nevertheless, is the candy rear-wheel-drive steadiness. With the load of the automotive evenly cut up between the entrance and rear axle, and the 840i steering sending again realms of knowledge to my palms, this can be a particular driving expertise. This, regardless of BMW’s Integral Lively Steering (rear-wheel steering) not being current on this automotive. No massive four-door coupe, save for maybe Porsche’s Panamera, drives as nicely.
Sport, Luxurious and acres of leather-based
Like a multi-role fighter that may tackle a various set of missions, BMW’s 840i Gran Coupe has a number of roles to fulfil. Query is, can you utilize it as on a regular basis transportation? There’s loads of house on the rear and the person rear seats with their built-in head rests are very supportive. The rear seats, nevertheless, are extra sporty than snug, and that is very true on lengthy journeys. You’re seated a bit low, thigh assist isn’t supreme and the seat is reclined to such an extent, you typically wish to sit up a bit – which isn’t doable.
Whereas house and legroom on the rear are good, passengers over six toes tall will discover that the headroom is tight.
Passengers over six toes tall will even discover that the headroom is marginal after which the extensive centre console, which stretches all the way in which from the entrance to the rear, is a bit too extensive and takes up an excessive amount of house. Additionally, whereas sitting three abreast within the rear is technically doable (there’s even a 3rd seat belt) the passenger must sit astride the rear centre console, which is bizarre.
What you may’t get away from, nevertheless, are all of the high-quality bits on the sprint. Step into the motive force’s seat of the 840i and together with the low-set sportscar-like driving place, what you may’t escape are the acres and acres of high-quality leather-based, each, on the sprint in addition to on the seat. Then there are the chromed-over bits that dazzle and get your consideration, and I even like BMW’s ‘crystal’ bits on the gear lever, iDrive dial and quantity management knob. I need to say I additionally just like the cockpit-like really feel of the cabin, with its severely rakedwindscreens, particular person seats and lengthy central console. The equipment on provide consists of wi-fi charging, gesture management for the iDrive, optionally available BMW laser lights and a heads-up show.
Twin sunroofs convey much-needed gentle to the cabin’s coupe-like structure.
Like the remainder of the cabin, the boot sacrifices some house to model; 440 litres isn’t nice for a automotive of this size and also you don’t get a spare – not even an area saver.
Swing low
With its low-slung sportscar nostril, lengthy, ‘quick’-flowing roof and powerful shoulders, the 8 Sequence Gran Coupe is a luxurious grand tourer or four-door GT that grabs your consideration. The lengthy, flat bonnet and tight-fitting roof lend a whole lot of class, and what helps give it steadiness is that this pillarless four-door coupe has a completely huge, three-meter-long wheelbase.
Electrically operated sun-blinds cowl solely a part of the tapering rear window.
Type-wise, it’s a completely happy mix of class and sportiness. China isn’t the primary marketplace for the 8 Sequence, so it doesn’t include a super-sized grille. Slightly, the grille is extensive, and the hexagonal LED accents within the headlights hit the spot. The rear nevertheless might be essentially the most engaging little bit of the 840i. The built-in ‘Ducktail’ spoiler units the theme right here, and what makes it look much more extra squat is that the 840i sits on a large base, which in fact helps give it a bottom-heavy look.
For 4
It’s not simple being a 4 door coupe. The checklist of must-haves is lengthy, and lots of of those necessities are at odds with one another. BMW’s 840i nevertheless manages to tick most of the bins. Before everything it’s an absolute peach to drive. The straight-six has an explosive kick within the prime finish, the gearbox is fast and intuitive to make use of, and the very best bit is that its innate rear wheel drive steadiness is so good, it drives with the agility and sweetness of a automotive half its dimension. It additionally rides nicely, is engaging trying, with a perfectly appointed cabin, and luxury ranges up entrance are so good, it type of makes you neglect it’s a GT. It’s a bit costly, nevertheless, at Rs 1.32 Crore. The rear seat isn’t ok to make use of day in and day trip and, at this value, a bigger capability V8 below the hood would have made for addition. Nonetheless, in order for you the mixture of a sporty GT and a practicality of a four-door, few automobiles come nearer to delivering the perfect compromise. It definitely is true up there for sheer skill and agility, with the costlier Porsche Panamera (Rs 1.48 Crore), its most pure competitor.
Carbon Core know-how helps stiffen the chassis loads.
Uninterested in operating a mud-plugger on the highway, an surroundings it isn’t particularly designed for? The 840i Gran Coupe might simply be the posh automotive for you.
