Audi BMW

The UK journalists are i-Motor spent some time behind the wheel of the somewhat controversial BMW 5 Series GT. One of those cars that don’t photograph well, but tend to stand out when seen in person, the 5 GT is being said to have already exceeded BMW’s sales expectations.

Launched last year, the BMW 5 Series GT, short for Gran Turismo, is based on the platform of the new BMW 7 Series and was built on the same principle that made the original Gran Turismo vehicles so popular: a high-performance luxury automobile designed for long-distance driving and why not, having some fun while at it.

“Is it an SUV? A Wagon?” Same very questions many of us have asked, but truth is that the 5 GT opens a new niche market that is slowly starting to welcome new players from BMW’s competition.

The first car to be built by BMW from inside-out, the 5 GT is not only an imposing and unique vehicle – okay..some may say odd -but also sets new standards of interior design luxury in the BMW line-up.

Let’s have a look at i-Motor’s review.

The entry level BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo model for the American market, 535i GT, was one of the few stars for BMW at the Chicago Auto Show. As we mentioned several times before, the 5 Series GT is one of these cars that need to be seen in person before a final conclusion can be drawn.

The 535i GT comes to complete the Gran Turismo family offered to the U.S. consumers. Design wise, The 5 Series GT was built on the same principle that made the original Gran Turismo vehicles so popular: a high-performance luxury automobile designed for long-distance driving. Since it was built on the 7 Series long wheelbase platform, BMW designers had plenty of “room” to play with the exterior design of the car.

Therefore, a coupe-like roofline was expected to be seen in the GT model without sacrificing any headroom space for its rear-sitting passengers. The now classic and historical Hoffmeister Kink is still there, even though slightly different from the previous BMW models.

BMW 535i GT also introduced the new N55 twin-scroll engine into the North American market. The new BMW Power Turbo uses a single twin scroll turbo instead of twin turbochargers as the N54 engine. The 2,979cc six-cylinder powerplant features for the first time High Precision Injection and variable VALVETRONIC valve management combined with the single twin-scroll turbocharger.

Quoting people that have driven the 535i GT, with 304 horsepower @ 5,800 rpm and 295 lb-ft of torque available from just 1,200 rpm, it’s no slouch, even though obvious slower than the 550i model. Sixty mph arrives in an estimated 6.3 seconds and speed wise it tops at 155 mph.

Just any model in the Gran Turismo line-up, the 535i GT is all about personal feeling and comfort, so connecting the passengers to the car while maintaining the highest levels of luxury, is something that BMW could have not overlooked. The cockpit provides all the necessary gadgetry and comfort, but it maintains a level of sportiness.

In the U.S., the base price of the 535i GT starts at $56,000.

“Is it an SUV? A Wagon? Or about a hatchback?”

This very same phrase we’ve been hearing ever since the first rumors of a new BMW surfaced three years ago, but BMW surprised the automotive market with the introduction of a new niche model, a vehicle that, as InsideLine, mentions in their video review, it is hard to fit into a category.

Sure, it might not fit the bill of a true Gran Turismo, but it sure left a good impression on many people that have seen it or driven it.

Based on the platform of the new BMW 7 Series, the 5 Series GT was built on the same principle that made the original Gran Turismo vehicles so popular: a high-performance luxury automobile designed for long-distance driving and why not, having some fun while at it.

The model tested by InsideLine is the high-end 550i GT powered by a 4.4 liter twin-turbo V8 engine, as seen in the 750i. The powerplant produces 400 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque. All this power is sent to the rear wheels through the new ZF 8-Speed automatic transmission.

Let’s have a look:

There seem to be multiple definitions of the term, Gran Tourismo Turismo . How else could such disparate vehicles like a Mustang GT, Bentley Continental GT, Nissan GT-R, Ferrari 599 GTB, Pontiac GTO and the new BMW 550i GT all be considered Grand Touring cars.

The definition of a Grand Touring car revolves around the following characteristics, room for two (or 2+2) and their luggage, capable of comfortable high speed cruising, oriented to the driver (not chauffeur driven), and capable of handling any road thrown at it. The classic GT car would be something like the BMW 3.0 CS, lithe, agile, perfectly proportioned and eminently capable on mountain passes or autobahn.

Few previously would have included the 550i GT in the Gran Tourismo Turismo category, however. Its tall, Reubenesque, four door body makes this the BBW BMW. But what that rather large shape does do is coddle three plus passengers in the lap of luxury. Its versatile two mode rear opening allows it to swallow the contents of an antiquing run using the hatch, or a smaller items without exposing the cabin to the weather using the smaller bootlid. And yet it still provides the driver the tools to enjoy the joy of long distance, high speed, motoring.

Unlike its smaller (closer to the ideal) GT brethren, the 550i GT delivers high levels of comfort to back seat passengers. Depending on the options specified, four zone climate control, heated and cooled seating surfaces and rear seat entertainment spoils rather than squeezes those relegated to the back seat. And unlike its luxury saloon competitors, it sacrifices little in the way of driving pleasure.

The trick to making a big vehicle a GT is to deliver similar driving performance that its smaller siblings enjoy. The 550i GT does that through a variety of techniques. First is the high torque, high horsepower, 4.4L turbocharged V8. That great powerplant is coupled to a sophisticated eight speed automatic transmission. This transmission is lighter and shifts quicker than the six speed it replaces. It really works well with the flat torque delivery of the engine and shifts perfectly in any of its modes.

Adaptive drive permits multiple suspension tuning, from Comfort to Sport + and the optional integral active steering allows speed dependent steering inputs from the rear wheels. This features eases slow speed parking maneuvers and mimics a shorter wheelbases car’s agility at higher speeds.

The cumulative effect of BMW’s technology is to produce a new version of the GT, one that carries four and all four’s luggage comfortably at speed on any road.

Playboy is one of the last publications to come to the table with a top cars list in 2010 and as expected, they call it “10 Hottest Cars in 2010″. Emphasize on “hot”….

There are plenty of cars on that list that could qualify as head-turners(Ferrari California) and we wouldn’t mind owning some of them, but there is one especially that sneaks in and takes the crown of a Best Crossover: the BMW 5 Series GT. While we have never really seen the 5 GT as a crossover type of car, we do see where they’re coming from, mostly due to its unconventional design lines and somewhat confusing niche market.

Despite being skeptical prior to its official unveiling and even after seeing the first photos, the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo has grown on us and as we said before, it doesn’t photograph as good as it looks in person.

Our Senior Editor Andrew outlined some its characteristics in a our first drive:

Styling is an excellent jumping off point for the 5 GT too. Many love it, many hate it – typical of BMW styling as of late. However, after arriving early and spending about an hour snapping shots of the GT, the car began to make more sense to me as I went over the lines of it in person. As I wandered around a parking lot full of the GT’s I studied the curves of the car and the first thing I found was that the GT is best suited in highly reflective, darker colors as they show off the subtle curves of the car. Colors like Titanium Silver don’t really give a good impression of the way the design flows and can make the it feel a bit awkward – however, this can probably be said of many modern cars. The second thing I noticed was just how much styling DNA comes across from the CS Concept.

Studying the nose of the GT, I could see how the nose the very wide dual kidney grill protrude outward, giving the front fascia a very masculine, strong look. Along the sides, the CS Concept influence continues with a high cutline that runs from the front wheel arch all the way to the tail lamps, giving the car a very sculpted appearance. At the rear, the 5 GT does have a large butt and there is no getting around it. From 3/4 shots of the rear, it does look a bit tacked on but when looking directly at the rear it looks fantastic. With squat, artistically styled L shaped tail lamps and a bit of a sedan-like, squished wagon rear-end, the back of the car looks very BMW but with a cross between a 5 Series Touring and an X6/X5. Overall, the exterior looks strong and honestly, pictures don’t do it much justice. The tail lamps are a very nice touch to the rear with their resemblance blown glass.

Playboy summarizes the BMW 5 Series GT in a single sentence: “go-fast, go-anywhere, all-purpose utility vehicle”.
Could this be true?

Mid-year sales will say it all….

[Source: MotorAuthority ]

According to UK magazine Autocar, Mercedes-Benz is preparing a rival to the BMW 5 Series GT and forthcoming Audi A7 with an estate version of the second-generation CLS. BMW 5 Series GT launched last year and while initially it has drawn extensive criticism from both consumers and automotive media, in time, the current of opinions has changed in its favor.

Back in March 2009, we were pretty confident in saying that “BMW 5 Series GT will follow the same path as the X6 by finding its own niche, clientele if you want, and it will dominate that segment. It is already the first luxurious car to take on that market and it can establish itself as a leader, a follower for other companies. ”

Not even a year later, BMW’s competitors are actively working on similar products.

According to the same magazine, an inside sources mentions that Mercedes is seeking to improve their returns by better utilization of existing platforms, similar to BMW’s 5 GT which shares the same platform with the F01 7 Series.

The new four-door Mercedes CLS Estate will be based on a modified E-class platform. The two will share styling up to the trailing edge of the front doors but the estate will have a heavily sloping roofline and angled tailgate similar to the ConceptFascination revealed in 2008.

Codenamed X218, the CLS estate will be built at Mercedes’ Sindelfingen plant in Germany from early 2012.

Motoring options are still unknown, but Autocar speculates that new V6 and V8 turbocharged engine will be available in the line-up.

With the upcoming Audi A7, the niche will get crowed, but some competition never hurt anyone.

[Source: Autocar ]

The third and final episode in the BMW 5 Series GT Developing series has been just published by BMW on their Youtube channel. For those of you that missed the previous episodes, here is part 1 and part 2.

As a quick recap, with every new product, BMW made an habit out of providing backstage access to everyone interested in learning more about the developing process of a new model. The new BMW 5 Series GT makes no exception and for the first time, we have the opportunity to take a glance of what went behind this new model.

Also, for the first time, BMW allowed us to go even more access backstage and shared with all of some information that ….let’s just say, have been prohibited before.

The last episode focuses on testing the car under extreme conditions and presenting the 5 Series GT for the first time.

As I slide down through a quick right-hander, I see a sign that is good news: a yellow road sign with a squiggly line down the middle indicating very curvy roads ahead. I pull the gear lever to the left and press forward to engage a lower gear then point the nose towards the first corner it is supposed to battle and hit the throttle.

The nose complies and slides runs, head-long, into the first of a wonderful series of turns; the cool fall atmosphere turns into a blur of orange, red, and yellow all around me. On my left, a guard rail holding back a steep drop and on my right a protruding rock face with scattered, bare trees, both hoping the car and driver don’t misstep. As I propel the car through the turns it doesn’t do what I expect it to: instead of running wide, the nose sticks and glides through the turns, composed and ready to take on the next turn without question.

As I exit the long series of S curves with a hint of a smile on my face, I look down at the display in front of me only to be shocked to see the suspension setting reads “COMFORT.” This was one of my favorite moments of a day with BMW’s all new 550i Gran Turismo and for those who are short on time, rest assured, the new 5 Series GT model still drives like a BMW should drive.

We were luck enough to have the opportunity to try a press test drive at the BMW headquarters in  Woodcliff, NJ headquarters to allow us, along with other journalists, to try out the 7 Series-based 5 GT. We were more than happy to take them up on the offer as part of a two-day agenda for the 550i GT and an educational session on BMW as it currently and will continue to exist in the United States, we were able to try out the 5 GT in a series of different environments that an average driver would come across. Honestly, on my flight up there, I didn’t know what to expect when it was all said and done. After all, I couldn’t stand the thought of the 5 GT when I saw the initial pictures of the model a few months ago.

Styling is an excellent jumping off point for the 5 GT too. Many love it, many hate it – typical of BMW styling as of late. However, after arriving early and spending about an hour snapping shots of the GT, the car began to make more sense to me as I went over the lines of it in person. As I wandered around a parking lot full of the GT’s I studied the curves of the car and the first thing I found was that the GT is best suited in highly reflective, darker colors as they show off the subtle curves of the car. Colors like Titanium Silver don’t really give a good impression of the way the design flows and can make the it feel a bit awkward – however, this can probably be said of many modern cars. The second thing I noticed was just how much styling DNA comes across from the CS Concept.

Studying the nose of the GT, I  could see how the nose the very wide dual kidney grill protrude outward, giving the front fascia a very masculine, strong look. Along the sides, the CS Concept influence continues with a high cutline that runs from the front wheel arch all the way to the tail lamps, giving the car a very sculpted appearance. At the rear, the 5 GT does have a large butt and there is no getting around it. From 3/4 shots of the rear, it does look a bit tacked on but when looking directly at the rear it looks fantastic. With squat, artistically styled L shaped tail lamps and a bit of a sedan-like, squished wagon rear-end, the back of the car looks very BMW but with a cross between a 5 Series Touring and an X6/X5. Overall, the exterior looks strong and honestly, pictures don’t do it much justice. The tail lamps are a very nice touch to the rear with their ressemblance blown glass.

Regarding the interior, again, typical BMW with a styling mix somewhere between an X6 and 7 Series. Certainly not a bad thing! The interior of a BMW is a very comfortable place to be and the controls, while taking a little getting used to, are fairly easy to interpret and find while driving. The new i-Drive controls mounted on the transmission tunnel make a world of difference to the usability of the system while driving as do the changes BMW has implemented on the latest i-Drive. However, we will get back to the interior later.

The next morning, when it came time to head out to spend the day with a 550i GT, I was lucky enough to be the driving the first leg of the trip and so I snuggled in behind the wheel. However, first we had to load all of our camera gear into the trunk. BMW has a trick two-stage trunk with hidden in the GT’s rump, with the first stage acting like a normal trunk that doesn’t give access to the interior. The second stage is a full 5th door that gives access to the rear seats while permitting the owner to put taller objects into the back or providing unrestricted access to the trunk space. If you need more trunk space then feel free to move the rear seats forwards to adjust for additional room. After loading most of our stuff into the trunk, I was surprised by how much room we still had yet to take up. This was the 5 GT successfully demonstrating its versatility for taking long weekend trips or heavy use in around-town errands.

However, I digress. The first thing you notice in modern BMW’s is the level of information at your finger tips on the displays around the speedometer and tachometer. There’s almost too much to take in when you’re driving and I found myself hunting for information more than being able to quickly look down at the gauges. However, the new interface has been designed to keep your eyes off of the i-Drive screen and facing forward and it does that part very well once acquainted with the systems. Coupled with the improved scrolling and sub-menu controls on the steering wheel for things like navigation and music menus, I found it very easy to scroll through songs on my iPod without the need to take my eyes off the road as songs cycle through the bottom right corner of the display. This integration of i-Drive and some of its functionality into the display makes the system much less of a distraction than previous iterations and you find yourself successfully navigating through to what you need versus trying to hold the wheel and watch the road while scrolling through endless menus. An interesting aside to the display is the small “Efficient Dynamics” mete below the tachometer that works similar to a full efficiency gauge with a blue area and battery logo. When the driver lifts from the throttle or brakes hard the gauge registers up into the blue region of the meter which BMW told us is the battery being charged up to recapture energy. However, this isn’t similar to KERS from Formula One that adds horsepower but just a means of recapturing energy for the battery.

After the offset, we cruised across some undulating city roads where the 550i GT felt very sedate and surprising quiet at low speeds. The up shifts in the 8-speed automatic and nearly imperceptible and the down shifts are almost the same too. While 8 gears may sound like a lot, the transmission manages pretty well in automatic mode and you don’t get a feeling that the gearbox is hunting for the best gear constantly as some of BMW’s competition has been criticized for. As we glided along through the crisp, cool morning, I realized that the seating position of the 5 GT sits somewhere between a low-slung sedan and a smaller, X3-sized SAV. It isn’t bad but it does feel a bit odd at first as you feel like you should be driving a car but have a somewhat altered seating.

Upon reaching the interstate, I decided it was time to open up the 4.3L twin-turbo V8 and see how well it used those 400 German horses it was hiding under the hood. That’s when I learned of the Jeykll & Hyde personality of the 550i GT. I down shifted to third and punched the throttle and a mechanical whine started to shout from the rear. Remember when you’re a kid sitting in a school desk and you’re pretending to drive a sports car so you’re making a sort of “grrrrrrrr vrooom grrrrrrrrrrrr!” noise for the engine and gear changes? Well take that noise and then make it throatier and that is what the exhaust note of the 550i GT sounds like – an “M3 lite” if you will. Not too loud, not too soft, just right for the car. Aside from the lovely sound, there are gobs of power throughout the rev band and the engine pulls very well from about 2,000 RPM’s up to the 7,000 RPM red-line. This is where the split personality of the car comes in, though. When you hammer the engine it will absolutely scream and come to life with incredible fury, ready to do more than you’re expecting it to, being quite the little torque monster it will get up and run. However, if you’re feeling a little more lazy, the 550i GT can easily settle down and very quietly cruise along, making the local police none-the-more suspicious that you just finished caning the car down a mountain.

Which brings me to the suspension and overall driving feel of the car. The majority of the cars to test were equipped with the Sports Package, and as an enthusiast, I have to say that there is no other way to go. Our car came equipped with the optional package and the 20 inch wheels which fill the wheel wells nicely. Yes, our car came with the run flats but that has been beaten to death so let’s move on. One wonderful feature that the 550i GT had was the adjustable suspension that comes from other BMW’s like the 750i with a simple button on the console by the gear lever that can be thumbed up or down for the 4 pre-determined suspension settings: Comfort, Normal, Sport and Sport+. What’s nice is that the active steering system is linked in with the suspension setting so the steering feel will react differently depending on what mode is selected on the suspension. In comfort mode? Great your steering feels light but effective. Want to carve corners? Then the steering firms up a good bit and has a solid, weighted feeling behind it when one of the Sport modes is selected. Honestly, I despised the active steering system in the E60 when it was first introduced but when packaged with an active suspension this execution of it makes for a very compelling case.

On open stretches such as a highway or even in the city, I found the Comfort mode kept the bumps at a minimum and generally the car felt very cushy and wafted us across poor roads and expansion joints. However, if you really feel like getting on it, I recommend the two Sport modes, the first firms everything up and the second disables a few electric nannies while still retaining a large threshold for driver error. However, if you take a corner fast with Comfort selected, you will get a noticeable sensation of bluntness by the car. However, that’s simply cured with an adjustment of the suspension. When I found myself on tight back roads it was easier to leave everything in Sport mode and still retain a fairly compliant ride quality. BMW has been nice enough to allow even the most picky drivers, via i-Drive, to alter the settings of these modes and what they affect, however, I didn’t take advantage of this and left my trust in the engineers’ hands through the pre-determined arrangements.

After some hard punting around Southeastern New York state, I found I really enjoyed the 550i GT and my initial skepticism was beginning to wash away after a few hours behind the wheel. Too bad it was time for a driver change at a petite tea house inside of a small village in New York. As a passenger in the 550i GT, I was still in the one of the best seats in the house. It gave me time to appreciate the two-stage, Olympic-pool sized sunroof and the overall aesthetic and comfort of the interior. Much different from most modern BMW’s, the interior feels very open and light, a much more accessible greenhouse than I can remember driving in a new BMW in quite some time. In scanning the interior, it felt very cohesive yet had an incredible amount of room. The design is top notch and flows well from the matte wooden dash, wrapping around and down through the frameless doors, from front to back the design feels very succinct. The  swooping lines and materials of the interior feel like a very big step up over the E60/E65 as the lines are not sharp and slashing and feel more conducive to a comfortable atmosphere.

However, the best part of the interior is the rear seat. Available as a 3-person rear seat or a 2-person bench with power rear seats, this is quite a comfortable place to be. As the 5 GT is based on a F01 750i platform, you’re privy to the same rear seating capacity and overall interior space. In the rear with the partially reclining seats, I found a very comfortable place to spend my time. With optional DVD players in the rear seats, acres of leg room (I’m 6′4 and my feet were nowhere near the front seats) you start to wonder – “why would I pick a 750i over the 550i GT?” Especially when the model we tested is anticipated to come in somewhere in the mid-high $60,000 range, well below a base 750i.  While most owners will never spend a lot of time being driven in their own car, this car made a compelling case for asking my fiance to start driving me around when we have to run errands. Add to the comfort the very open, airy feel of the greenhouse and you’ll likely not want to get out of the car once you reach your destination.

After we crept up to the top of the mountain to an incredible view and even better lunch at a very German-like hotel, it was my time to jump back behind the wheel and take the 550i GT back down the mountain onto  the highway and back to the hotel. I, of course, came screaming down the mountain and did get a feeling that 550i GT, as good as it is, will not hide its weight and if you push it too hard in the corners it will push wide and the brakes will get a little squishy if you continue to lean on them heavily. Thankfully, to steer the wheels BMW has active rear steering on the rear wheels which, above a pre-determined speed, will turn up to 3 degrees with the front wheels to help overall handling – surprisingly, if you look for it you can feel the system working.

However, as I neared the end of my commute across a good portion of southern New York state, I realized that the GT is about luxury first with performance second and that my initial impressions were wrong: this is a true BMW after all. Surprisingly, I was OK with that realization. This is a car for couples who may have a few young children or older children already out of the house. A car for people who enjoy driving but need something that is comfortable and spacious first but has accessible performance at a whim. Happen to have a favorite twisting road that you hit on your way back from work? Great, this car will waft you to the office comfortably and then allow you to slip everything into sport mode and take full advantage of the performance aspects of the car on the way home.

The car caters to an audience older than myself, someone who isn’t ready for a 7 Series yet but needs something less compromising in terms of functionality and wants something quick and  likes to travel often. However, the 5 Series GT does what it was built for well: a great all-rounder that can take you to the office, around town or off for a long weekend while allowing you to travel in comfort and very modern style with performance and space aplenty and all with improved efficiencies.

Thinking of getting an sporting luxury SUV or wagon for your next car? Congratulations, your decision process just got that much more difficult.

Disclaimer: BMW flew me out to New Jersey, stuffed me with food and put me through a day of “school” before getting behind the 5 Series GT.

The German tuning company Hartge is well known for their BMW tuning jobs and today, they reveal a new customization program for the 2010 BMW 5 Series GT. The Hartge 5 Series GT comes with a variety of exterior and interior modifications and the end result, is quite pleasing.

On the outside, the BMW 5 Series GT by Hartge receives some minor body kit upgrades, along with new suspensions, wheels and interior modifications. The 5 GT Hartge also gets a new sport spring set that lowers the ride by 30 mm. Hartge set of emblems can be spotted on the bonnet and boot lid.

The 22″ inch custom wheels, in four different designs and finishes, enhance the already sporty looking exterior look. Hartge also offer a tire repairing kit for the 5 Series GT.

Inside, the 5 GT gets a new set of Hartge branded aluminum pedals, footrest and and steering wheel.

At the moment, there are no engine upgrades, but as always, we’re probably looking at a Stage 1 tuning, so we expect to see some power increase in the future.

The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo will make its North American debut at the South Florida International Auto Show October 23-November 1. For the first time, attributes of an elegant sedan, a contemporary Sports Activity Vehicle and a classic Gran Turismo are masterfully melded into a single, harmonious vehicle shape. The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo adds new facets to BMW’s Ultimate Driving Machine tradition and refines the concept of first-class travel.

The traditional European term Gran Turismo (Grand Touring) was first applied by Italian carmakers in the 1950s when they combined the performance, handling, and style of a 2-seat sport car with luxurious amenities and luggage room for each occupant.

BMW’s new Gran Turismo nurtures this tradition in its own contemporary way, providing exceptional space, style, luxury, and comfort for four passengers, plus the performance and driving pleasure of a BMW.
It does so with 21st-century technology. BMW’s wide-ranging EfficientDynamics engineering philosophy endows this new automobile with an outstanding balance between performance and efficiency. Thanks to its innovative twin turbo V-8 engine and 8-speed automatic transmission, the 550i Gran Turismo can accelerate from rest to 60 mph in just 5.4 seconds, yet delivers excellent efficiency in everyday driving.

Design: Abundant sportiness, elegance, luxury and versatility.
• Typical BMW proportions communicate dynamic character and sportiness.
• Long wheelbase and graceful, coupe-like roofline.
• An interior with contemporary design, generous dimensions and premium materials.

The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo radiates a unique blend of sportiness and stylish presence. Typical BMW proportions, four doors with frameless windows, and a coupe-like roofline combine into a harmonious, highly distinctive silhouette that visually represents this vehicle’s innovative capabilities.

The Gran Turismo’s visual presence is a fusion of established BMW identity and new elements. Its elongated hood and long 120.7-inch wheelbase coalesce with a “greenhouse” set well aft and a fastback roofline into a profile that’s immediately recognizable as a BMW, yet at the same time communicates a new vehicle concept. From the first glance, it’s clear that this is an exceptionally roomy vehicle, yet also a highly dynamic one.

Inside the 5 Series Gran Turismo, users find generous dimensions, inspired contemporary design, and individualized luxury. Sweeping contours – such as those of the interior door panels – combine with rich, premium-quality materials to create an ambiance that’s equally satisfying to front and rear occupants.

At the front: thoroughly modern, traditionally BMW.
The Gran Turismo’s frontal aspect has a marked forward thrust, with its traditional BMW “kidney grille” leaning slightly forward and emphasized by its separation from the flanking (also traditional) four round headlights.

In profile: frameless door windows and a new form of “Hofmeister Kink.”
The 5 Series Gran Turismo is also the first 4-door BMW to have frameless door windows – a feature BMW usually reserves for Coupes and Convertibles. These give an “open” look to side and angled views of the vehicle.

Over the years, another window detail has become a tradition: BMW’s so-called “Hofmeister Kink,” named after Wilhelm Hofmeister, who headed BMW design when this shape first appeared. On the Gran Turismo, it appears in “6-window” (3 windows per side) form in the rear quarter windows aft of the rear doors, framed in matte black plus chrome or optional high-gloss Shadowline black trim.

At the rear: aesthetically and functionally distinctive
Another BMW design tradition, in evidence since the second-generation 7 Series was introduced for 1988 is the freely interpreted L-shape of the rear lighting clusters. On the 5 Series Gran Turismo this theme is retained but new LED lighting tubes wrap far around the body sides and provide yet another recognizable BMW design cue. Together, these elements reinforce the impression of the Gran Turismo’s wide stance, which is further enhanced by strong horizontal lines spanning the bi-modal trunk and likewise tying into the character lines of the side profile.

Function, as much as the handsome aesthetics, is the main attraction of the 5 Series Gran Turismo’s interesting rear view. Below the rear window is a conventional, though shorter-than-usual, sedan trunklid that opens separately to reveal a fully enclosed trunk – sealed off from the passenger cabin by an acoustic partition that renders the interior as quiet as that of a sedan.

To take full advantage of the 5 Series Gran Turismo’s great cargo capacity, the liftgate – including lower trunklid, rear window and an upper section reaching a few inches above the window – can also be opened. There are two releases, one for the trunklid alone, the other for the entire liftgate including trunklid.

Interior design: spacious luxury at its finest.
The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo interior combines space, luxury and stylish materials to create a premium ambiance. In the rear seats as well as up front, there’s a sense of generous space and comprehensive amenities, promoting relaxed and accommodating travel.

The outstanding feeling – and reality – of spaciousness is enhanced by design and materials. Dash and instrument panel lines are decidedly horizontal; door panels sweep dramatically and harmoniously from front to rear. Thanks to their frameless designs, the door windows are larger than they would be with frames, adding to the openness of the cabin. The dual-panel panoramic moonroof, standard on the U.S. model, also contributes to these effects.

Instrument panel in Black Panel technology.
Like so many aspects of the 5 Series Gran Turismo, its instrument cluster combines BMW tradition with advanced, beautiful new executions. Here the entire cluster is in a high-resolution Black Panel display, in which four classic circular instruments are most prominent; other driving-relevant displays and readouts – including Navigation if present, vehicle-monitoring functions, upcoming service requirements and other information – also appear here in their various (and function-related) graphic forms. Climate-control settings and controls are located in a second Black Panel display in the center console stack.

So it is that the advantages of mechanical and electronic displays are ideally combined with eye-catching visual and graphic effects. As the user enters the vehicle, the circular instruments’ “chrome rings,” until now open at the bottom, close and become brighter. Once the ignition is activated (by pressing the Start/Stop button), the numerals plus all other displays and warnings illuminate. As the engine starts, functions that have been previously activated by the driver are then revealed as well.

The new BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo will arrive in BMW Centers this December. Pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date.