2013 BMW 650i Gran Coupe Track Test

Edmunds tests hundreds of vehicles a year. Cars, trucks, SUVs, we run them all, and the numbers always tell a story. With that in mind we present "Edmunds Track Tested," a quick rundown of all the data we collect at the track, along with comments direct from the test drivers. Enjoy.

Like "42," the 2013 BMW 650i Gran Coupe seems to be the answer to a question nobody can remember. As the four-door version of the two-door version of the 5 Series sedan, the 6 Series Gran Coupe could have easily been a very questionable product for BMW. In practice, though, the 650i Gran Coupe has all the style the 5 Series doesn't, and brings a serious helping of horsepower to the table.

The 2013 BMW 650i Gran Coupe is armed with the same 4.4-liter, turbocharged V8 engine that we're familiar with seeing in the rest of BMW's "550" offerings, except now that engine has been tweaked to produce 445 horsepower instead of a mere 400 horses. It's mated to an eight-speed automatic that sends the power to the rear wheels.

So the 650i Gran Coupe looks stunning and brings additional ponies for its $88,095 base price. It also brings an SUV-like 4,535-pound curb weight to the party. How big of a difference does this new V8 make? We took it to the track to find out.

Vehicle: 2013 BMW 650i Gran Coupe
Odometer: 1,517
Date: 1/29/13
Driver: Chris Walton
Price: $88,095

Specifications:
Drive Type: Front engine, rear-wheel drive
Transmission Type: Eight-speed automatic
Engine Type: Twin-turbocharged direct-injected V8, gasoline
Displacement (cc/cu-in): 4,395/268
Redline (rpm): 7,000
Horsepower (hp @ rpm): 445 @ 5,500
Torque (lb-ft @ rpm): 480 @ 5,500
Brake Type (front): 13.7-inch ventilated discs with sliding calipers
Brake Type (rear): 13.6-inch ventilated discs with sliding calipers
Suspension Type (front): Independent multilink, coil springs, self-adjusting variable dampers, lower control arms, self-adjusting active stabilizer bar
Suspension Type (rear): Independent multilink, coil springs, self-adjusting variable dampers, self-adjusting active stabilizer bar
Tire Size (front): 245/35ZR20 (95Y)
Tire Size (rear): 275/30ZR20 (97Y)
Tire Brand: Dunlop
Tire Model: SP Sport Maxx GT
Tire Type: Asymmetrical summer performance run-flat
As Tested Curb Weight (lb): 4,535

Test Results:

Acceleration
0-30 (sec): 2.3 (2.7 w/ TC on)
0-45 (sec): 3.6 (4.1 w/ TC on)
0-60 (sec): 5.2 (5.8 w/ TC on)
0-60 with 1-ft Rollout (sec): 4.8 (5.3 w/ TC on)
0-75 (sec): 7.0 (7.6 w/ TC on)
1/4-Mile (sec @ mph): 13.1 @ 109.4 (13.5 @ 108.7 w/ TC on)

Braking
30-0 (ft): 29
60-0 (ft): 114

Handling
Slalom (mph): 66.3 (65.2 w/TC on)
Skid Pad Lateral Acceleration (g): 0.88 (0.85 w/TC on)

Db @ Idle: 40.0
Db @ Full Throttle: 71.1
Db @ 70-mph Cruise: 60.0

RPM @ 70: 1,650

Comments:

Acceleration: Default mode (Comf/Drive) hesitates slightly from a dead stop. Each successive mode makes the car slightly quicker (Sport, Sport+ and DS) but launch delay persists regardless. The time gap between slowest and fastest 0-60 is significant, about a half-second in total. The traction control is effective, but it has a short leash. Once underway, the power builds quickly and carries all the way to the 7,000-rpm redline. I "beat" traction control with a two-footed non-wheelspin launch with Trac off. There's ample cooling as trap speeds remained steady. Upshifts are both fast and smooth, as are matched-rev downshifts. In manual mode, it will allow the engine to bounce off the rev limiter.

Braking: Given that the 2013 BMW 650i Gran Coupe weighs 4,535 pounds, a 114-foot stop from 60 mph is impressive. Distances grew to just 121 feet after four more stops. The pedal remained firm and effective regardless and the car stopped flat and straight.

Handling:

Skid pad: With Comf mode selected, the Gran Coupe felt heavy and reluctant to probe its grip limits. The throttle would close just shy of the tires howling. The steering feels unnecessarily heavy, too. In Sport+ mode, the car felt less ponderous and it was difficult to detect any ESC intrusion at all, and the results show a measurable improvement.

Slalom: In Comf mode, there's plenty of grip and less body roll than expected. The ESC intrusion is subtle and short-lived and likely keeps the rear from sliding. In Sport+ (with dynamic traction control), the performance envelope is noticeably larger and the stance firmer and more confident. ESC was barely detectable unless I got it really wrong. In either mode, the active-steering option is very disconcerting and doesn't offer expected seat-of-the-pants response.

The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.