With the increasing number of choices in the luxury car market, why drive home in a 640i Gran Coupe? Well to start, it’s sexy.  Long, low and sleek make the heart go pitter-patter. And like the Audi A7 or Mercedes CLS, the 640i Gran Coupe may not be as likely to stop one in their tracks in the Whole Foods parking lot to peer through the window, the lines and curves on this 4-door coupe-style sedan give off plenty of wow-factor.

As with most luxury cars today, the interior is a place to indulge one’s senses of sight, sound and touch.  Ambient lighting, rich leather throughout and package options to satisfy every technology fantasy.  The driver assistance package for instance brings cool features like Lane Departure Warning, Active Blind Spot Detection, Rear and Top View cameras, Parking Assistant, and the new three-dimensional, full-color Head-Up Display. My personal favorite is the premium sound package with a knock your socks off Bang & Olufson high-end surround sound system. If I owned this car, for this alone, I’d look for reasons to go out.

Driving the 640i is where it’s true personality comes out.  The 3.0 liter I-6 engine may not seem like a big deal, but hit the gas on the highway and the car comes alive.  It’s heavy, but it’s a powerhouse.   The engine is designed to deliver maximum output with optimal fuel efficiency.  So much that the efficient dynamics will power down the engine while idling in traffic.  I discovered the friendly little switch under the ignition button to turn off this feature while commuting on the expressway to Boston (as anyone knows, there is nothing express about the expressway).  For daily driving,  I found the car’s weight cumbersome when running quick errands around town through side streets and in and out of parking spaces.  The image it conjured was akin to wearing boots to ballet class.

Now a confession.  I did not drive this car with my daughter.  For the life of me, I couldn’t install the car seat.  The problem was the lower latch anchors.  They sit behind zippers encased in vertical slits in the rear seat cushions.  It looks so nice and simple.  But oh no.  With sheer brute force, twisting, yanking and swearing, I couldn’t pull the zippers down.  It reminded me of George Castanza trying to unzip his jacket in therapy. (please forgive the reference if you’re not a Seinfeld fan)  I learned that once the zippers are down, the anchors lie about an inch into the seat cushion.  Some muscle will be required here too, because the seat leather is quite stiff.

It’s a shame because the additional 4.4 inches in length compared to its 2-door coupe sibling give the backseat that much needed extra room for baby and/or passengers.  Not to mention the interior is such a comfortable place to be. But unfortunately for this Mom, I didn’t get to fully appreciate the experience that this beautiful grand touring car has to offer.

Some Basics
MSRP: $76,895 (base)

engine: 3.0 L turbo, I-6
hp/torque: 315 hp/330 ft-lb.
drivetrain: RWD
fuel economy:  20 city/30 hwy
IIHS Safety Rating:  Not yet rated.

drivermom summary
Three words to describe this car
elegant, athletic, luxurious

What’s the best thing about it?

gorgeous interior

What’s the biggest drawback?
lower latches very difficult

Mom-friendliness score: B

Driver-friendliness score: A-

If this car could talk, what would it say?

“I’m the strong, silent type,”