Tackling a new niche

Although it may be unclear to which car type the new cross-breed BMW Gran Turismo 5 series belongs, Adrian Ion is still impressed with the drive

December 2009 - From the Print Edition

The market for niche oriented cars has flourished in recent years. The competitive car market today is forcing manufacturers to come up with innovative ideas not only for gadgets in a new model, but also in a car’s shape and body lines.
Some of these experiments have proved to be successful and others less so. One manufacturer who is betting at covering the niche clientele is BMW. They have a badge on the bonnet that will sell anything that comes out from the hands of the designers. Some cars from BMW received a decent amount of criticism for their design features in the Bangle days, but the Germans continued to shift units crazily - confirming that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Such an interesting breed of cars is the new 5 series Gran Turismo (GT) which is a sub-genre of the conventional car classes. This is a cross-breed between the 5 Series saloon put on the 7 series platform and the rear end of the X6, raised to the heights of a small SUV. BMW has been building “niche” cars lately that try to fit into every possible gap of perceived consumer needs.
I took the 5GT fitted with the 3-litre diesel engine for a spin and, to summarise in a few words, I was impressed. Not by the way it looks, but by how it drives and runs on the open roads. It is a smaller 7 series with the same features and electronics that one can find in its bigger brother. The 8 speed gear box fits perfectly in this car and, combined with the refined engine that delivers 245 hp, it offers a smooth and relaxing ride whether in the city or cruising on the highway.
The suspension settings of the car can be customised from Comfort to Sport Plus and change dramatically the way the GT behaves, making it versatile and usable for every mood that the driver experiences. This is also because BMW fitted rear air suspension standard on all 5GT models.
The test drive car was built with active steering and rear-wheel steer where the rear wheels can steer up to 3 degrees. At slow speeds the system works by reducing the number of turns of the steering wheel, which quickens its reaction. Meanwhile, at high speed, the opposite occurs to boost stability. making the GT very agile considering its mass of over two tonnes. Understeer is present especially in the Sport Plus mode that cuts off the ESP, and the rear starts swinging.

Inside spacious
In terms of interior comfort, the GT is pleasantly equipped and the cabin gives the impression of large space, very close to an MPV feeling. The rear passengers get the best deal and premium feeling as the rear ‘Comfort’ seats are close to what one would find in an aircraft business class. They can adjust electrically in almost every imaginable way to offer the best travel experience.

Vital statistics
BMW Gran Turismo 5 Series
BMW 535i GT combines High Precision Injection and Valvetronic and offers 306 hp at 5,800 rpm
Top of the range: V8 TwinPower Turbo in the 550i GT develops 407 hp
Economic choice: BMW 530d GT with 245 hp developed at 4,000 rpm and a mixed consumption declared by the manufacturer at 6.5 litres/100 km
Prices start at 47,000 Euro plus VAT for the diesel and up to 63,000 Euro + VAT for the 550i version
The test car was provided by local importer BMW Romania