IT HAS taken eight years, but BMW has finally responded to the ultra-successful Mercedes CLS (now in its second generation) with the 6 Series Gran Coupe – a sleek and sporty four-door five-seater ‘hardtop’ sedan in the best tradition of 1970s and ’80s Japanese luxury ‘saloons’.

Nudging the bigger 7 Series in price as well as features, the 640i range-opener is not exactly cheap, but it does possess a unique style, and exposes the Bavarian car-maker to a subtly new and different market.