2013 BMW 650i Gran Coupe Track Test by Edmunds

Edmunds.com tests the new 2013 BMW 650i Gran Coupe on the race track. This first four-door coupe of the German automaker is powered by a 4.4-liter V-8 engine (N63) with BMW’s VALVETRONIC variable valve timing delivering a maximum 445 hp between 5,500 and 6,000 rpm (a 45 hp increase). Peak torque is 480 lb-ft between 2,000 and 4,500 rpm (a 30 lbs-ft increase). Official specifications say that 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100km/h) is achieved in 4.6 seconds, but here are the results of the test my Edmunds:

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

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.