BMW reportedly stopping production of current 5 Series to pave way for new model
BMW 535i Gran Turismo – Click above for high-res image gallery
No matter what you think of the new BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo wagon/hatchback/crossover/thing, if you want to get your hands on a brand-new Bimmer 5, that may be your only choice for the time being. Reports suggest that the Bavarian automaker has stopped taking orders for the E-60 5 Series sedan and wagon, with production tipped to end in December in preparation for the new model.
Dealers have reportedly been instructed only to take "special orders" for the outgoing 5 (whatever that means) with the new GT version scheduled to hit the streets by year's end. Of course, dealers stocked with extra sedans and wagons will be eager to offload their inventory, and we'll be keeping an eye out for hints of the new model coming around the bend.
Gallery: First Drive: BMW 535i Gran Turismo
[Source: BimmerFile]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chubaka 2:22PM (10/05/2009)
Son of a *****!
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dave0mary 2:23PM (10/05/2009)
I'm a BMW owner and love 'em. But I do wonder about the timing of the GT 5. With a new 5 coming, why not release it then? BMW marketing/engineering people are no dummies, so there must be a good reason.
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James 6:11PM (10/05/2009)
I don't think BMW typically debuts multiple bodystyles of the same vehicle at the same time anyway, but think about it in terms of the consumer's understanding of the car.
If you release the 5GT first, you can showcase the new bodystyle and the new design direction at the same time. Because the new 5 already has so much buzz around it, the 5GT gets all the spotilght for a while, so consumers get an early taste at the new 5's styling, focus on the new bodystyle first, and creates even more buzz for the sedan to debut later.
Since the 5GT is a new bodystyle and direction, BMW has to make it clear to the consumer what the car exists for and why they decided to make it over a regular wagon. My guess is BMW thought it best to do that first so it wouldn't be overshadowed by the sedan, which is going to sell in much higher numbers.
Chubaka 9:00PM (10/05/2009)
Wouldn't that be thinking from the automaker's perspective? To me, what you said would justify why BMW is only offering the GT and not the sedan. And even though Autoblog readers probably don't represent the majority of the public opinion, the consensus seems pretty clear that the 5 GT doesn't garner much applause, or is at the very least very polarizing when it comes to likes and dislikes.
My mom currently drives a 2006 (I believe) 535i, and the lease ends around the end of this year. BMW sent her a courtesy letter, inviting her to peruse the current selection of vehicles in hopes of renewing her contract. However, this big golden turd on wheels (sorry, just my impression, it was colored a brownish gold) is plastered on the front of an included magazine, which just happens to be a major turn off for my mom too. She isn't too keen on choosing anything else, as she feels the 3 is too small and the 7 too large, and doesn't want to hike up and down an SUV every time she drives. Now she's considering other brands... a pity as I've driven the 535i and it's very pleasant, if only rather thirsty for fuel; gunning the throttle returns the wonderful sensation of smooth acceleration though =)
Ok I'm done.
mk15 2:24PM (10/05/2009)
I think those "special orders" would be for the 5 Series Security. Armoured cars for diplomats, politicians, and the ultra rich.
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James 6:00PM (10/05/2009)
That's a possibility.
But those sell in such low numbers, I wonder if "special order" just means any vehicle specially requested by the customer (i.e. not sitting on a dealer lot, but made-to-order with customer-selected option packages for a customer who has already agreed to buy).
That seems like a marketing strategy that makes sense... that way dealers run down their inventory and have plenty of room for the new redesigned models to trickle in, but if a customer really has to have the outgoing model, she can still order it.
yosh 2:25PM (10/05/2009)
The newer beemers haven't exactly been very easy on the eyes, let's hope this one is. It's got a lot of competition, the XF raised the bar sky-high.
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Kaveh 2:31PM (10/05/2009)
So I am guessing the Tourer is the new 5 series, at least the front end, so we got some hints.
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mbslrm 5:43PM (10/05/2009)
That makes sense.
DJ_Swammi 4:21PM (10/05/2009)
Booooooo
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jonathan.chung1 4:27PM (10/05/2009)
For a second my foolish hopes got the better of me. I read the into the third word, stopping, and then raced ahead thinking BMW would be stopping the 5 Series GT.
Damn it. Why do I do this to myself?
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Greg 4:45PM (10/05/2009)
This is a typical BMW model end strategy. They end production of the current model, well before the arrival of the new one. Down to the wire only customer orders are taken, which guarantees the last cars to arrive are already sold. With this strategy, no fire sales are needed, by the time the new car arrives the old ones will be sold out, thus reducing the incentives needed to move the last few off the lot.
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Smokem 5:11PM (10/05/2009)
That's a mistake to stop production of the E60. They should end the production of the ugly Accord Crosstour look alike 5 Series GT instead.
Anyways, I guess its good news for Hyundai Genesis?
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BoxerFanatic 5:35PM (10/05/2009)
They just released the 5GT...
But I agree it is a bit of a behemoth.
Chances are that the next 5-series is just behind a curtain waiting to be revealed somewhere, and will b e unveiled sometime soon to let people know what to wait for... but they want to sell all the E60s first.
Hopefully the next gen will be better looking, and not bulkier than current. This trend of cars growing "just because everyone else's cars are"... has to stop sometime.
J 7:34PM (10/05/2009)
Think I'll pass, think I would rather have a BMW that looked like one.
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