BMW 5 Series GT 2010 review

The X6 was the answer to a question nobody asked. So does that make the 5-Series Gran Turismo another German orphan looking for a home?  BMW Australia spokesman, Toni Andreevski, does not think so. He says the GT will lure buyers ‘who don't want the status of the 7 Series and are put off buying an SUV’.

"They are niche clients," he says. "We have no doubt there is a market for this concept."  Andreevski is confident the GT will repeat the sales success of the X6, which came in for a lot of criticism when it was launched but has been something of a minor sales celebrity for the company.

Despite the critics, X6 sales exceeded BMW Australia's expectations last year with 573 sold.  The company has more modest targets for the GT, with projected sales of 120 for the first 12 months.  As the GT shares much with the 7 Series it is no surprise that it borrows some of the lavish equipment and latest generation engines from the BMW stable.

Prices

Andreevski says the three-model range - 530d, 535i and 550i - will sit between the 5 Series and below the 7 Series with prices kicking off at $143,400 and topping out at $192,900.

Drivetrains

All models get BMW's new eight-speed automatic.  The opener is the 3.0-litre turbo-diesel 530d, which arrives next month, stepping up to a mid-range turbo petrol 3.0-litre 535i six and range-topping turbo 4.4-litre V8 550i.

To deliver strong performance, BMW has opted for twin-scroll turbo technology in the petrol six and V8.  It says it is the first time it has combined the company's Valvetronic valve management system, direct injection and turbo-charging.

Fit-out and equipment

In size, the GT sits between the 5 Series and 7 Series sedan. It is 174mm shorter and 1mm narrower than the 7 Series but 80mm higher. Rear legroom is the same as the 7 yet headroom is equal to the X5.  Buyers can choose between a five-seater or optional four-seater, which costs an extra $4000 and includes luxuriously appointed pews BMW calls ‘comfort seats’.

The car's party piece is the two-piece tailgate, similar in operation to the Skoda Superb.  Press one button and the boot opens. Press another and the whole rear opens to reveal a massive luggage area separated from the passenger compartment by a partition.

With the rear seats and partition up there is room for 440 litres of luggage. Move the seats forward and unlocking the partition increases space to 590 litres. With the rear-seat backrests and partition folded there is 1700 litres. 

BMW has dipped into the premium end of the parts bin to give the car four-zone automatic air conditioning, frameless windows, adaptive headlights, automatic hatch, bi-Xenon headlights, comfort access, head-up display, panorama sunroof and rear-view camera.

Driving

BMW's catchcry of ‘sheer driving pleasure’ does not necessarily mean sitting in the back. But that's exactly what BMW PR Toni Andreevski wanted journalists to do to appreciate the 5 Series Gran Turismo. 

From the rear pews it's a life of lavish, cocooning luxury. The optional rear comfort seats provide plenty of sprawling space for two, with a huge armrest and storage areas between the seats. The seats also electrically recline up to 40 degrees so you can imitate business class without getting airsick.

Even up front the GT has masses of room with a level of quality nudging the 7 Series. A neat trick with the twin-opening rear hatch is that it can be set to five different positions, enabling the hatch to lift up without hitting low garage roofs.

Although the GT's cabin looks like a lounge room on wheels, on the road the car behaves as a BMW should.  Despite riding on the bigger 20-inch runflat tyres, both the 535i and 550i have a plush ride with the standard adaptive suspension taking the worry out of suspension tuning.

The petrol six is quiet, composed and reasonably quick but if you really need the urge, the 4.4-litre V8 fits the bill.  It's a real executive express.