BMW 6 Series GT: Pros, Cons & Should You Buy One?

The BMW 6 Series GT stands out as an offbeat choice in the luxury car space. It’s sure to invite curiosity but is it worth buying?

Luxury cars still have a distinct appeal and in the past decade, more and more people have taken the plunge and brought one home. Most opt for sedans or SUVs, so the BMW 6 Series GT comes across as a very unusual choice. Exactly what needs does the 6GT satisfy and is it a car you didn’t know is the perfect fit for you? Or are you better off sticking with the more commonly chosen alternatives for the same price?

You probably aren’t in the mood for a long read, so here’s a look at the pros and cons of this BMW grand tourer:

Pros

Looks Different

The 6 Series GT is based on the BMW 5 Series but the layman wouldn’t be able to make a connection between the two. The GT has a fastback-like design and has notably larger proportions than the sedan it’s based on.

Why? Well, GT stands for grand tourer; a body style designed for long distance travel, where the priority is practicality and comfort. To enable these benefits, the car itself is larger in size and has more road presence. The GT doesn’t look as sporty as the 5 Series but its greater length and width give it an SUV-like presence while retaining the low-slung stance of a traditional sedan. 

This characteristic is complemented further by the adaptive LED headlights, LED DRLs, frameless windows, standard 18-inch and M Sport exclusive 19-inch wheels along with the retracting rear spoiler!

Balanced Punch & Comfort

Offered with the 6GT are two diesel & one petrol engine, detailed below:

While this is no sports car, it certainly isn’t a slouch, with even the least powerful version managing the 0-100kmph sprint in under 8 seconds. It even gets launch control with the petrol and M Sport diesel! More importantly, it balances this sprightly performance with great ride comfort thanks to adaptive suspension on both axles as standard. In fact, the focus on comfort is greater here than in the 5 Series and even the drive modes are an indication of that.

While the 5 Series’ drive modes include Sport, Sport+, Eco Pro, Comfort & Adaptive, the 6 Series GT offers Sport, Comfort, Comfort+, Eco Pro & Adaptive. Evidently, even BMW looks at the 6 Series as the 5’s comfort- and relaxation-oriented alternative. This holds true in the real world too as the 6 GT offers great ride comfort even over bad roads. If you enjoy a relaxed cruise in the backseat or front, this car satisfies that need very well!

Cabin Space

The GT puts its unusual shape to good use, enabling a greater amount of cabin space than the 5 Series. There’s a very easily noticeable surplus of headroom, leg room and shoulder room here, which lets even taller owners stretch out. This is also where it comes across as an easy upgrade.

The natural upgrade from the 5 Series is the 7 Series but even the most affordable variant of BMW’s flagship sedan is priced at over Rs 1.35 crore (ex-showroom). That’s a difference of over Rs 80 lakh between the base prices of both sedans! So if you want a more backseat-favourable upgrade, the 6 Series isn’t as much of a stretch while still getting you a different experience.

Practicality

Grand tourers aren’t supposed to offer just good cruising performance and comfort, they also need to hold more luggage. The 6 Series GT has over 600 litres of boot space and the rear seats are split folding to liberate even more storage room. In fact, with the rear seat folded, there’s enough space for someone 6.5ft tall to lay down! Given the design, the rear windshield and boot lid open as a single piece, so you can load larger items with ease too.

Features

A long cruise can get boring without the right toys to play with. Features in the 6 Series GT include auto headlamps & wipers, soft close doors, a powered tailgate, configurable ambient lighting, 4 zone climate control, gesture controls, a panoramic sunroof and more.

Cons

Unusual Styling

While the 6 Series GT’s styling is certainly unconventional (at least in the Indian market), it may not be to everyone’s taste. Sedan buyers prefer a low slung, sporty and sleek stance, while SUV buyers like strong road presence and bulk. The 6 Series GT is somewhere in between both worlds and may seem a bit risky for traditional luxury car buyers. 

In terms of design, it falls into a similar category as the E-Class All-Terrain or Volvo V90 Cross Country i.e. choices that are a breakaway from the usual safe bets but may not be perceived the same way by everyone.

More Engaging Sibling

While the 5-Series doesn’t match the 6 GT for rear seat space or comfort, it certainly does well as a chauffeur driven/family car for four. However, when you’re looking to have some fun, it’s the 5 Series that offers the sportier drive experience. 

There’s less body roll, the chassis is more precise and it is slightly quicker too. So choosing the 6 GT over the 5 Series is a decision mainly driven by the need for better space and comfort.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class LWB

While the 6 Series GT is a great rear seat owner’s car, the E-Class long wheelbase just does better. There’s better seat comfort, more legroom and a sharper rear seat backrest adjustment angle too. It’s all packaged in an exterior design that’s more conventional as well, which is a good thing for the majority of luxury car buyers who prefer something that’s classy but blends in with ease.

Should You Buy One?

This answer is more subjective than a simple yes or no. At Rs 65 lakh - 76 lakh (ex-showroom), the 6 Series GT occupies a space that’s hard to define. It offers a balance that satisfies some very specific needs. 

It’s essentially a BMW 5 Series which isn’t as precise to drive but is more comfortable, spacious and practical. In essence,this car is not as back seat focused as a long wheelbase E-Class but makes up for that by offering superior driving fun vs the Mercedes. If that balance is what you want, then it’s mainly the looks that’ll make or break the deal.

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