Geneva Preview: Full details emerge on BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo Concept
by Jeremy Korzeniewski on Feb 13th 2009 at 11:59AM 
Click above for a high-res gallery of the BMW 5 Series Gran Touring Concept
BMW is back at it again with the 5 Series Gran Turismo concept, inventing categories that don't yet exist with a vehicle that isn't quite a sedan, wagon, crossover or SUV. Instead, the Bavarian automaker refers to its new vehicle as a Progressive Activity Sedan, which apparently means that it's a fastback wagon that sits a bit higher off the ground than normal sedans. If you love the shape of the X6 but don't need the ground clearance, you'll probably find little to complain about from the 5 Series GT.
While we're not quite sure we're on board with the new bodystyle, one feature we do admire is the two-piece, double-jointed tailgate. It's a clever take on the classic problem of how to access the rear hatch in tight quarters. Once open, that space can hold a cavernous 58 cubic feet of stuff with the rear seats folded down. Regardless of the total amount of room, we've got to wonder if that oddly shaped opening will severely limit what can fit in the boot.
For such a large vehicle, there's not that much room inside for passengers. Just four occupants will find a spot for their keisters, though it does appear that each of them will be coddled with plenty of room (all four seats slide fore and aft) and electronic gadgetry. The center console extends from the dash all the way to the rear seating area, providing a spot to put elbows and doodads in their respective places. Our guess is that production won't be too far in the future and with only mild changes to this concept's basic design. Check back next month for live shots of the Tourer from the Geneva Motor Show. Complete press release and videos after the jump.
Gallery: BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo concept
[Source: BMW]
PRESS RELEASE:
BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo
02/13/2009
Character:
02/13/2009
Character:
• With the future still offering sufficient room for an exciting new driving
experience, BMW has once again defined a brand-new vehicle segment:
The BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo is the series-based adaptation
of the Progressive Activity Sedan (PAS) in the upper midrange segment,
offering an impressive outlook on the extension of the BMW 5 Series by a
new, additional concept.
• With its stylish appearance and comfortable driving experience, the BMW
Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo transfers the characteristics of a classic
Gran Turismo to a very special four-door vehicle with four seats. These
features so typical of a Gran Turismo are then enriched by the highest
standard of intelligent, versatile functionality.
• The BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo combines elegance, space,
comfort and variability. In a combination never seen before on any other car,
the characteristic features of a prestigious sedan, a modern and versatile
Sports Activity Vehicle, and a classic Gran Turismo are all united in this
unique Concept Car.
• Besides the typical BMW proportions, the coupe-like roofline accentuates
the elegant yet sporty character of the car and the sheer length of the
car's body. In addition, the BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo has four
frameless doors and elegant aluminium highlights.
• The luxurious interior is surprisingly generous considering the coupé-like
silhouette of the car, creating a spontaneous feeling of well-being for driver
and passengers. This impression is further enhanced by a comfortable
entry to the car, the slightly elevated seating position, and the panorama
roof providing a particularly pleasant travel experience.
• The BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo is highly versatile: a flexible
interior comprising the rear seats, the partition wall wall, and the luggage
compartment allows the adjustment of the interior individually to personal
requirements - from a separate luggage compartment, like in a sedan, all
the way to a loading capacity of 1,650 litres or almost 58 cubic feet with the
rear seats folded down. This flexibility is rounded off by a two-piece tailgate
with separate openings for additional convenience.
• The BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo addresses a demanding and
modern target group - discerning individuals who attach great importance
to genuine style, luxurious comfort and flexibility in use. This gives BMW
the opportunity to win over customers who today drive either a sedan, an
SUV or an wagon model in the respective competitive segments.
• The BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo extends the BMW's model
range by an intelligent, new and indeed unparalleled vehicle concept for
modern mobility at highest standard. Through its unique combination
of elegance, space, comfort and variability, the car creates a powerful
impression of relaxed presence. Indeed, these new characteristics enrich
Sheer Driving Pleasure to an even higher standard and appeal to additional
target groups. And last but not least the BMW Concept 5 Series Gran
Turismo authentically visualises premium quality and a new standard of
sporting performance borne out by the car's dynamism and efficiency.
Interior design:
• The BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo offers a spacious and
luxurious ambience with inspiring and modern interior design. As the
world's only combination of variable spaciousness and uncompromising
premium quality, this new concept car also stands out through the most
sophisticated materials and excellent quality of finish. Supreme harmony
in interior design, reflected by the trim surfaces extending from the front to
the rear doors, creates a modern symbiosis of the two seats at the front and
the seats at the rear. The panorama glass roof, in turn, further intensifies
the light and generous ambience inside the car, while the stylish cockpit
emphasises the sheer width of the vehicle through its horizontal lines,
black panel technology and a fully integrated 10.2-inch Control Display.
• Supreme seating comfort, ample headroom and elbow room in the front
provide the standard of a luxury performance automobile, the slightly
elevated seating position ensures an optimum overview and makes access
to the car particularly comfortable. Tilted slightly to the front, the instrument
panel, finally, optimises the degree of control comfort on the driver's seat.
• Convenient and ergonomically optimised access as well as significant
freedom of movement characterise the generous atmosphere on the rear
seats. Extending all the way to the rear, the centre console in the concept
car emphasises the length of the interior. Outstanding variability, in turn,
is ensured by single seats at the rear infinitely adjustable fore-and-aft,
their backrests folding forwards individually and under electric power at
the touch of a button and the adjustable backrest angle ensuring further
comfort and style.
• With the rear seats in their regular position, the BMW Concept 5 Series
Gran Turismo offers the passengers at the rear the same legroom as
in the BMW 7 Series and virtually the same headroom as in the BMW X5.
In this configuration, luggage compartment capacity is 430 litres or
15.1 cubic feet. The partition wall behind the rear seats separates the
passenger and luggage compartments from one another in terms of both
acoustics and climate conditions, like in a sedan. If necessary, the rear seats
move fore-and-aft by up to 100 millimetres or more than 3.9" - so that
with the seats moved as far forward as possible, the occupants still enjoy
the same legroom as in the BMW 5 Series Sedan, with luggage capacity
increasing to 570 litres or almost 20 cubic feet. Then, once folding down
the rear seat backrests and the partition wall, the luggage compartment
further increases in size to its maximum capacity of 1,650 litres or nearly
58 cubic feet. The firm cover on the luggage compartment may be
stowed away in the floor of the compartment, again in the interest of extra
convenience.
• The two-piece tailgate allows unique variability in loading the luggage
compartment: Opening the small, sedan-like tailgate beneath the rear
window enables the driver and passengers, in combination with the closed
partition wall, to load the luggage compartment without creating any
drafts into the passenger compartment or changing the temperature the
passengers wish to enjoy. To conveniently load bulky objects, in turn, all the
driver has to do is open up the large tailgate similar in its configuration to
that of a Sports Activity Vehicle.
Exterior design:
• The BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo combines the modern, up-todate
interpretation of a Gran Turismo with four doors and all the prestige of
a Sedan and the variability of a Sports Activity Vehicle. The proportions so
typical of a BMW are borne out in particular by the long engine compartment
lid, the long wheelbase, the coupé-like roofline, and the greenhouse
moved far to the rear.
• The dynamic character of the car's front-end design is accentuated by the
large BMW kidney grille positioned low down and standing upright at the
front, as well as the large air intake. Tilted to an angle, extending far round
to the side and highlighted by a striking surround, the dual round headlights
give the front end of the car a particularly modern look. The corona rings of
the daytime driving lights, finally, come for the first time in LED technology.
• From the side, the BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo clearly visualises
its innovative character, the striking waistline and the coupé-like roofline
accentuate the elegant look of the car and the sheer length of the body.
Following the example of a sporting coupé, the BMW Concept 5 Series
Gran Turismo comes with four doors and frameless windows. The
aluminium surrounds on the side windows are milled out of one solid unit
and holding the elegantly designed exterior mirrors as yet another important
design feature. Yet a further striking element on the side is the exciting
re-interpretation of the famous "Hofmeister kink" so typical of BMW at the
rear end of the window graphics.
• Horizontal lines at the rear emphasise the width and sporting character of
the car, further accentuated by the waistline extending from the side
into the rear panel, a three-dimensional chrome bar and the flared wheel
arches. The outer rooflines merge into the air spoiler and encompass the
rear end in its sporting fastback design. And as yet another feature typical
of BMW, the L-shaped rear light clusters come with horizontal rows of
lights extending far round into the side of the car.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Franz 12:06PM (2/13/2009)
Some will love it, some will hate it & everyone's entitled to their opinion. My opinion? This thing is just awful!
Reply
TyWright 12:19PM (2/13/2009)
Ya it makes the Panamera look lovable. I doubt Bimmer will make this. Other than the X3, they're usually on the mark.
2004m3driver 12:27PM (2/13/2009)
wtf is it? a station wagon faux coupe?
Mike P. 12:32PM (2/13/2009)
Nope, it's a BMW that takes a page out of Skoda's book. Never thought I'd see the day...
http://www.moreinspiration.com/Innovation.aspx?id=2107
Sean Flanagan 12:40PM (2/13/2009)
Actually, it's a Honda Accord Coupe with kyphosis (hunchback).
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2008-honda-accord-coupe/360880/
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/bmw-5-series-gran-turismo-concept/1355252/
zamafir 1:17PM (2/13/2009)
This comes as a huge shock to me, but I like it, all of it. If BMW had built this instead of the BS X6, esp with it's twin turbo power plants, i would have a lot more respect for them and they'd still have a bit more integrity in tact, it'd position nicely against cars like the RS6 (yes i'm aware a few have already compared the X6 to the RS6 and preferred the X, just MHO).
Mazda FTW! 1:27PM (2/13/2009)
I'd take the RS6 Avant. Any day of any week of any year.
larry a 5:55PM (2/14/2009)
Well.. Wow. Ugly, heavy, and useless. Good thing I still have my e30 :)
Erik 12:11PM (2/13/2009)
Looks awesome from the outside, but rear bucket seats in a 4-door vehicle has got to be one of the stupidest automotive features of all time.
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Luis 1:37PM (2/13/2009)
I disagree. Few if any cram three in the back of smaller vehicles. I think it's much nicer to have 4 fully comfy seats than 2 great seats and three so-so seats (really 2 so-so seats and one crap/hump seat).
mayflyripper 4:00PM (2/13/2009)
@Luis
Given that it's based on a 5-series which does currently seat 3 in the rear comfortably, I think this is a step backwards. But seeing how this draws on the X6 which replaced the rear middle seat with cupholders (!), I see how they came up with this. Then again, a retractable cupholder tray embedded into the middle console would have served the same purpose and allowed for a middle seat.
Javanese 5:25PM (2/13/2009)
Bucket seats? You think bucket seats is the car biggest fault? How about the fact that it's a hatchback! I dont know who's brilliant idea it was in BMW to greenlight this. I guess it justify the X6 development cost, "Well, if the X6 failed at least we got a chassis for a car, just ditch the 4wd system." The idea of making a luxury hatch is just as stupid as making a cheap small limousine.
The one that really worries me is, is the new face of the new 5 series? it's look like they do a mash of the 1 series nose with a the new 7 series headlights. If that's the face of the new 5, I take the current 5 any day of the week.
Tim 12:11PM (2/13/2009)
Not a fan of the overall shape, but if that's the new face of the 5 series, I think it's an improvement on the current car.
What's slightly silly here is that's just a 5-door 5 series. Any number of sedans sold in Europe have 5 door variants. Why they feel the need to give it some ridiculous new "category" is just marketing run amok.
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Nathan 12:12PM (2/13/2009)
Only good looking BMW in recent memory. Love it.
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Monkaroo 12:13PM (2/13/2009)
Will there be a normal sedan to compliment this? I hope!
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Chris 12:13PM (2/13/2009)
It's like the culmination of all of Bangle's terrible designs all-in-one. Lining this up next to an E30M3, you would never know it's from the same car company.
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zack 12:13PM (2/13/2009)
I think the body style is fine, it's the color choice of the one in this photo that sucks.
I might be in love, as this will be able to cart the kid around and have some trunk space. My only concern: Does it have any balls?
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revaholic 12:15PM (2/13/2009)
It looks nice until the last 10 inches of the car. Then it's HORRENDOUS.
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Stingers 12:44AM (2/17/2009)
Yeah, but the split-opening hatch is pretty cool. That's a really nice feature.
Mr.Oak 12:17PM (2/13/2009)
What are the sales figures of the X6? I live smack in the middle of BMW/AUDI/MB territory, and I've yet to see one on the street. Back to this car, it is dorky.
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