Which BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo is better: petrol or diesel?
In 2017 BMW introduced the oddball 6 Series Gran Turismo as a successor to the 5 Series Gran Turismo, providing those with a penchant for a luxury fastback with an offering from Bavaria. Today we determine which 6 Series GT is better, petrol or diesel
The now-defunct BMW 6 Series range once included a coupe, cabriolet, Gran Coupe and Gran Turismo variants locally. While BMW still produces the Gran Turismo model for some markets, South Africans have moved on to other BMW products such as the 8 Series and the various SUVs offered by the marque. There are very few 6 Series Gran Turismo models listed for sale on AutoTrader, however, for those in the market for one we aim to determine which is better, the petrol or the diesel?
|
|
BMW 640i xDrive Gran Turismo |
BMW 630d Gran Turismo |
|
Engine |
3.0-litre, 6-cylinder, turbo petrol |
3.0-litre, 6-cylinder, turbodiesel |
|
Power/Torque |
250kW/ 450Nm |
195kW/ 620Nm |
|
Transmission Type |
8-speed automatic |
8-speed automatic |
|
Driven wheels |
All |
Rear |
|
Fuel Consumption |
5.3 L/100 km |
7.4 L/100 km |
|
0-100 km/h |
5.3 sec |
6.0 sec |
|
Price (when new in 2017) |
R1 081 300 |
R1 114 800 |
Two powertrains, four model lines
At launch in 2017, BMW South Africa offered the 6 Series Gran Turismo with one turbocharged petrol engine and one turbodiesel motor, with the option of a Standard. Sport, Luxury and M Sport trim.
The petrol model
Powering the 640i Gran Turismo is the brand’s B58B30 turbocharged six-cylinder engine which is paired with the superb ZF 8-speed automatic gearbox that sends power to all four wheels. This particular powertrain is certain to go down as one of the brand’s best when we look back in a few years time, offering fantastic performance, reasonable fuel economy and superb refinement.
The diesel
The B57D30 is equally as impressive as its petrol counterpart and is also paired with a ZF 8-speed gearbox, however, power is sent to the rear wheels in this model. While the diesel provides reasonable performance, its real trump card is the combination of performance and fuel consumption that makes it most impressive.
Analysis
Despite its strange styling, there is no denying that the powertrain lineup in the 6 Series Gran Turismo is superb. As is to be expected, the petrol variant is the more accelerative and free-revving of the two options while the diesel offers superior fuel consumption and more usable torque.
Verdict
Having looked at the figures, it becomes clear that both the petrol and diesel-powered 6 Series GT models offer an impressive balance of attributes, however, there can only be one winner. As close as it is, we are granting the victory to the diesel-powered model as it runs the petrol model close in terms of acceleration, provides better overtaking torque and is far more efficient than the petrol.
