Ask any car buyer what’s the first BMW that comes to their mind and chances are none will mention the 6 Series Gran Turismo (GT). Worse still, mention the 6 Series and most will think of the discontinued coupe, not the wagon-crossover-ish GT variant that we have here.

We don’t live in a binary world. There’s no black / white, good / bad separation. The most well recognized names are right up there not necessary because they are the best, but due to a combination of several more complex reasons.

Think Steve Rogers vs Thor, Pippa Middleton vs Kate Middleton, Subaru SVX vs Toyota Supra, you get the idea.

The biggest problem for the 6 Series GT is because no one knows what it’s supposed to be.

It has the front-end of a BMW 5 Series, the rear-end that’s almost like a 5 Series wagon but reinterpreted with a fastback body. It rides taller than a sedan yet nowhere near as tall as an BMW X3.

So it’s not a wagon, not quite a fastback/hatchback, and it’s not an SUV either. So what is it?

For a brand that coined utterly useless terms like Sports Activity Vehicle, SAV (in the early days of the first generation BMW X5, BMW would get upset if a publication called the X5 an SUV), even BMW themselves didn’t bother coming up with a new term for the 6 Series GT’s bodystyle.

Instead, BMW’s press materials describe the 6 Series GT as “an individualist within the premium executive segment.”

Compartmentalizing things, putting everything in the right ‘boxes’ within our minds is how our brains make sense of the world, and not get overwhelmed by sensory inputs.

This looks like an apple. An apple is a type of fruit. Fruits are edible. This is a man. This is a woman. The in between, neither here nor there things confuses our small minds but you get the general idea and let’s not go beyond that, lest we descend further into topics that small minds can’t handle.

And that is the problem with the 6 Series GT. Buyers don’t know what is it, and because of that, they don’t know what to compare it against, or how to form opinions about it, which in the grand scheme of things, is a worse situation to be in for BMW than if buyers have negative opinions about the car.

That’s a shame.

A flagship that few acknowledge

International market variants of the 6 Series GT are built alongside the 7 Series and 8 Series, at BMW's Dingolfing plant in Germany, which tells you how closely related it is to BMW’s flagship models. So it’s definitely not a stretched and raised 5 Series! It’s right up there as the best of the rest from BMW!

If the 7 Series is a flagship sedan, the X7 is a flagship SUV, and the 8 Series a flagship coupe / convertible, then the 6 Series GT is a flagship of the in-between bodystyles.

Of course, Malaysian market models are assembled at BMW Group Malaysia’s plant in Kulim to circumvent our high import and excise duties, but that doesn’t change the 6 Series GT’s pedigree.

Despite its 5 Series-like front-end, the 6 Series GT offers enough shoulder and legroom to (almost) rival a 7 Series.

Why buy a 6 Series GT?

Those who love driving and instinctively understand the dynamic compromises required by an SUV, no matter how accomplished it is, will immediately understand the appeal of the 6 Series GT.

It rides taller than a sedan, so the raised hip point makes it easier for occupants to get in and out. That’s a big plus for ergonomics. Elderly users and young children can easily easily get in / out of the car unassisted. This is not always possible with say, a much taller BMW X5.

Likewise the 6 Series GT’s 600-litre boot - expandable to 1,800-litre once the 40:20:40 split folding seats are folded down (electrically operated from the boot) – the boot floor is at just the right height for easy loading / unloading of cargo. It’s not too high like an SUV, but not too low like a sedan where you have bend low to reach deep into the boot.

And because it’s a fastback, the tailgate opens upwards, more like than a sedan, rather than extending rearwards before pivoting upwards like an SUV. This makes the boot more practical, especially when the vehicle is parked against a wall or another vehicle.

Never mind a 5 Series. The 6 Series GT has a 3,070 mm wheelbase - identical to a 7 Series (standard wheelbase, non-Li or -Le models). Of course, the X5 offers more head and shoulder room.

Inside, the 6 Series GT is nearly as spacious as an X5, but with the added bonus of offering superior handling and ride comfort, courtesy of its lower ride height and lighter body. How much lighter?

The 6 Series GT weighs 1,860 kg. That’s 160 kg heavier than a 530i sedan (1,700 kg), but against a similarly spacious X5, the 6 Series GT is 315 kg lighter! And that’s when compared against the X5 40i (2,510 kg). Compared against the X5 45e (2,510 kg) that is sold here, it’s a whopping 650 kg lighter!

All else being equal, a lighter car makes for more agile handling, better acceleration and braking performance, and the tyres don’t need to work so hard, and with less weight to control, ride is often better, which means that the air suspension (similar to X5 45e) doesn’t need to work as hard.

Priced from RM 400,839, the 630i GT M Sport is a lot more expensive than the 530i M Sport's RM 384,941, but cheaper than the X5 45e's RM 440,745. 

Given that it shares underpinnings with a 7 Series, the flagship-worthy 6 Series GT is the cheapest of all BMW flagship models. No other BMW model offers a better value proposition.

All prices are with SST cut and extended service and warranty package, valid until 31-December 2021.

Anything to not like?

We have yet to do a full review for the 630i GT (for obvious reasons), but initial impressions of the 6 Series GT are good.

There could be some minor concerns that the frameless doors could make for a noisy cabin at higher speeds, but these days, few frameless-doored cars have this issue anymore.

Another nitpick would, like all BMW interiors, it’s not that luxurious inside but if that’s what you are looking for, you will be best served at the Mercedes-Benz or Audi corner.

Also read: Mercedes for comfort, BMW for drivers, Audi for everything else. Still true?

The B48 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine in 30i tune is nothing that BMW fans here don’t already know, having already seen long service in the more common 5 Series. Plus, the 8-speed automatic transmission is still the best in its class – slick shifting and so precise that it makes you question why bother with a jerky dual-clutch unit.

It’s hard to find something that’s serious enough to be a deal breaker, but don’t take my word on this yet, go experience the car for yourself, once this MCO nonsense is over.

More details on specifications and features of the 2021 BMW 630i GT LCI here.