BMW has priced the new six-cylinder 640i coupe at $74,475, with the convertible commanding $81,975. Those base prices are a substantial $9400 less than the cars’ eight-cylinder 650i counterparts. With BMW’s recent addition of the all-wheel-drive 650i xDrive coupe and convertible to the 6er lineup, it’s worth mentioning that the six-cylinder cars will be rear-drive only.
The 640i will use BMW’s single-turbo, 3.0-liter inline-six (called the N55, for BMW nutters) tuned to produce 315 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque—15 hp and 30 lb-ft more than it makes in the 535i. The numbers may mirror those of the six-cylinder 740i, but that car uses a twin-turbo 3.0-liter. The 640i should weigh less than the porky 650i, but can only be had with BMW’s eight-speed automatic transmission and disappointing Servotronic electric power-steering system (you can read all about this system in our 650i convertible first drive here). The 650i is available with a manual transmission.
Other than the lack of a manual, the 640i gives up little to its bigger-engine brother and can be optioned with most of the same packages and gizmos as the 650i. Production of the 2012 BMW 640i has already begun, and the less-expensive 6er is expected to hit dealerships in October.
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