BMW Changes Its Mind: Six-cylinder 640i Might Be Coming to US

Yesterday, BMW revealed a number of changes to the engine range that will come into effect starting fall of this year. Among them, the brand-new 6-Series that was unveiled in March at the Shanghai Auto Show will have its engine range extended to include a diesel-burning six-cylinder with 313 horsepower in the form of the 640d.

In addition, the 6er will now be available with xDrive, giving credit to speculations of an AWD option for the both the M5 and M6.

As a result, both the coupe and convertible versions of BMW’s big GT car will have three engine versions for customers to choose from starting this fall. However, that’s only true in Europe, as the carmaker said American will only get to drive away from dealerships with a big 4.4-liter V8 under the bonnet. However, according to a recent Autoblog post, that’s all about to change.

The American market will indeed see the arrival of not only the 650i, but also the 640i, as BMW has decided the US need its six cylinders. In Europe, the engine makes 320 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 450Nm (332 lb-ft) of peak torque between 1,300 and 4,500 rpm, though it’s expected the US version will drop a few horses. Most likely, output will be identical to the US-spec 740i at 315HP.

In the 6-Series coupe, the 3.0-liter petrol is good for a 0-62mph (100km/h) in 5.4 second and an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). The car need 7.7 liter of fuel every 100 kilometers on the European test cycle (equal to 30.6 mpg US) with 179 g/km of CO2.

When you consider that the 650i needs 10.4 l/100 km (23.1 mpg), a six-cylider 6er makes sense.