You may have read the announcement about the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo in our online news pages (http://www.eurotuner.com/news/eurp_0905_2010_bmw_5_series_gt/index.html). The car is expectd to arrive later this year, priced from around $65-70,000 for the initial 550i model and will herald the replacement for the current 5-Series range.
The German manufacturer sees the 5-Series Gran Turismo as a unique blend of style, space, luxury and sportiness. However, we were a little unsure about why BMW needed such a model in its line-up, since it sells so few 5-Series wagons in the US. But we like to keep an open mind, since BMW seems to read the market well.

Fortunately, we were given the opportunity to preview the 5GT during a recent visit to drive the new 555hp X6 M and observe the expansion to BMW’s Spartanburg, SC assembly plant.
The good news is the car is impressive in the flesh. It looks more imposing than it does in photos.
It’s built on the 7-Series platform, so it’s a big car. Its elongated hood and long 120.7” wheelbase work well with the raised roofline and fastback rear quarters. It also has additional interior space, which has been put to good use: Up front it feels similar to a 7-Series, with plenty of space to stretch out. In the rear, the there’s significantly more legroom than the current E60 5-Series. This has allowed the engineers to create adjustable rear seating that can be reclined to superb comfort. Alternatively, they can be moved forward to increase trunk space, or folded flat for larger cargo loads.
So in standard form, the rear seating accommodates three passengers, with a 40-20-40 split of the backrest to allow selective fold-down. In addition, the entire seat cushion can be adjusted 3.9” fore and aft, while the individual backrest sections can be adjusted over a range of 15-33˚. Yet there’s more here than just adjustability: with legroom on the scale of the 7-Series and headroom comparable to the X5, this 5GT offers first-class comfort for all occupants.
As part of the optional Luxury Rear Seating Package, you get individual, multi-adjustable power seats, separated by a center console with cupholders and a storage compartment; here the backrest range is 15-40˚ and even the fold-down function is powered. In addition to the power adjustments, a further attraction of this configuration is that it transforms the cabin into a sportier, strictly four-seater configuration for greater luxury.
Moving the seats forward or folding them flat to accommodate luggage is only part of the 5GT’s story. It has a very interesting tailgate design with two buttons to either open it as a conventional sedan, or a second to open the full tailgate for great access to the cargo area.
To retain the feeling of a sedan inside the GT, there is a thick parcel shelf behind the rear passengers’ heads. Combined with a sturdy wall behind the rear seats, it serves to seal the trunk, eliminating the cabin noise normally associated with a wagon. It also means you can open the trunk without the cold air entering the cabin, as typically happens with a wagon or hatchback.
However, if you do need greater load capacity, the parcel shelf can be stowed beneath the trunk floor in one of two generous storage bins. You can then raise the full tailgate and either move the seats forward or fold them completely to load larger cargo.
So accompanying the variable seating accommodations is variable cargo capacity, ranging from 15.5cuft in the sedan-style enclosed trunk, to fully 60cuft (DIN rating) with folded rear seats and SAV-style long cargo floor. A variable partition between the trunk and passenger compartments provides occupants with sedan-type climate and noise insulation even when the trunk is being loaded, yet moves with the seats when they are adjusted and folds flat when the greatest capacity is needed.
To take full advantage of the 5-Series Gran Turismo’s great cargo capacity, though, the liftgate – including the lower trunklid and rear window a – can also be opened. There are two releases, one for the trunklid alone, the other for the entire liftgate including trunklid.

The whole interior has a real feeling of spaciousness, enhanced by design and materials. The dash and instrument panel lines are horizontal; door panels sweep dramatically front to rear, and all four doors have frameless windows. There’s also a dual-panel panoramic moonroof, standard on US models, which further contributes to the spaciousness by accounting for about 55% of the roof’s surface area.
The cars we previewed were pre-production models, so some of the finishes were under review, but mechanically they were top notch. The 550i GT was powered by the 4.4-liter, 400hp twin-turbo V8 that delivers 450 lb-ft from 1800 to 4500rpm. This engine is also found in the 750i and X6 but here’s its mated to an innovative new 8-speed automatic transmission, offering “taller” cruising gears which make a significant contribution to reducing fuel consumption and emissions.
With its close-ratio gears, acceleration is both smooth and rapid. BMW claims 0-60mph in just 5.4 seconds and a top speed (with Sport Package) of 150mph. For models equipped with all-season tires, the maximum is limited to 130mph.
We didn’t have the opportunity to experiment with the transmission but the wider spread of ratios allows the engine to run at lower speeds, particularly in 8th. The steps between adjacent gears is also reduced; in turn meaning stronger, smoother acceleration.
We’re also told it will offer faster shifts because only one of the two clutch packs will disengaged to shift up or down by one or two gears. On the other hand, downshifting more than two gears is accomplished as a direct shift. So a downshift from 8th to 2nd is made with only one clutch pack disengaging, without stepping down through the intermediate gears. The benefit is that you can be enjoying the quiet, fuel-efficient low rpm of 8th gear, and in the next instant get maximum acceleration in a lower gear.
Another new feature on US models (although its been offered in Europe for a while) is Brake Energy Regeneration, which saves energy and reduces fuel consumption by controlling when the alternator charges the battery.
Conventionally, the alternator runs continuously but in the Gran Turismo it charges only when the vehicle is decelerating or braking; otherwise, it freewheels, drawing virtually no power from the engine. An electronically controlled clutch, similar to an air-conditioning compressor, is added to engage and disengage the alternator. To accommodate the reduced charging pattern is a deep-cell battery that can be safely discharged further than a traditional battery thanks to “glass mat” technology, where the internal plates are separated by saturated absorbent glass-boron silicate rather than the usual liquid electrolyte. This construction reduces the battery’s conversion of charging energy to heat, and can provide electrical power for longer periods between charges.

Helping to emphasize the feeling of comfort and luxury is the advanced suspension system that offered a wonderful ride. Up front it uses a new multi-link system that replaces the traditional MacPherson strut arrangement with an upper lateral A-arm. The double-pivot lower arms are retained, so that on each side
there are three links (or arms). While the two lower arms preserve the double-pivot strut system’s advantages, the new upper arm facilitates the system’s handling and riding comfort by relieving the strut of its geometric duties.
This combination means space for large brakes and reduced friction because the shock absorber no longer helps locate the wheel, and is no longer subject to lateral forces, enhancing both ride and handling. In keeping with BMW tradition, aluminum components reduce unsprung weight while improving grip and comfort.
The rear suspension is a significant evolution for BMW, too. Like the front, it is a multi-link system; BMW calls it the Integral system for its small, essentially vertical Integral Link connecting the upper and lower lateral control planes.  
The 4-link Integral suspension concept has been in use for some years in the current 5- and 6-Series. With an additional link per side, the Integral V (5-
link) system moves closer to perfection in its combination of handling response, grip and comfort.
The new 5-Series Gran Turismo also optional Integral Active Steering as seen on the 2009 BMW 7-Series. At the front wheels, Integral Active Steering electronically varies the steering ratio on the basis of vehicle speed and driving conditions. This reduces the steering wheel movements required for parking maneuvers, U-turns and sharp corners. Furthermore, the rear wheels are steered to a maximum of 3˚ via a servo motor acting on track rods. At low speeds, they are steered opposite to the front wheels, reducing the turning circle by more than 2ft. At higher speeds, the rear wheels steer in the same direction as the fronts, enhancing stability. Additionally, the rear-seat passenger comfort is improved thanks to reduced lateral forces in highway lane-change conditions.
Appropriately, the 5 Gran Turismo comes standard with self-leveling rear suspension utilizing an electric air compressor and ride-height sensors that recognize changes in vehicle loading.
Additionally, there’s Dynamic Damping Control using electronically controlled shock absorbers among the many other technologies used to provide the 5GT with its ride comfort and handling prowess.
The car will be supplied with 18x8” wheels as standard. The 550i Gran Turismo comes with 245/50R-18 run-flat all-season tires. With the optional Sport Package, there are choices of 19x8.5” front/19x9.5” rear wheels, with 245/45R-19 front and 275/40R-19 rear tires; or 20x8.5” front/20x10” rear, with 245/40R-20 front and 275/35R-20 rear tires.
The larger diameter wheels will better suit the 5 GT because it’s a large car with big wheel openings. At the front, its traditional BMW “kidney grille” leans slightly forward and has four round headlights featuring BMW’s signature corona rings, which for the first time on the Gran Turismo, will employ LED technology.
At the rear, LED lights wraps around the body sides and provide another recognizable design cue. Strong horizontal lines span the bi-modal trunk and tie in with character lines on the side profile to enhance the Gran Turismo’s wide stance.
In addition to the Gran Turismo’s hood and front spring towers, its four doors are made of aluminum, saving a significant 61.7 lb compared to steel.
So whether or not you see a use for the car’s added versatility, the overall design has been executed with BMW’s traditional attention to detail and engineering prowess. After spending time with the 5GT it seemed to make sense. It is the perfect long distance companion that its grand touring title would suggest, especially if you’re relaxing in the reclined rear seats, maybe enjoying some video entertainment on the screens mounted to the front seats.
The ability to carry four or five adults and their luggage at high speed in superb luxury puts the 5GT in an interesting niche that overlaps with some of the finer SUVs in the market. Whether it will be able to attract enough customers remains to be seen, but BMW has given it a great start in life, and we will watch its introduction later in the year with interest.
One sad note was that the success of the 5-Series Gran Turismo could herald the demise of the 5-Series wagon, which sells in very small numbers in the US. It has a small but loyal following who may soon be looking at the GT’s tailgate with renewed interest.