German Car Zone

Yes, compared with its sedan sibling - unequivocally. But, let me ask you this in another way:

Ever seen an S-Class wagon?

Lol, I would certainly not classify myself as a quasimodo by a long mile I had no problems with the Z4 and even passed on a test drive opportunity because of time constraints.

Was the 5er your beloved giant sat in equipped with the executive package with the seats reclined? The one I got to preview had a standard 3 seater bench in the rear and I was sitting upright just like I do in any other car. And no, I wasn't wearing a purple hat like Willy Wonka.

BMW is taking the Mercedes route especially on this one and the X6. Their providing every useless category imaginable to account for 100% of all market requests in automobile accessories and needs.

The E-class T lacks every possible luxury feel as 90 % of the taxis here are E-class T-models, but that is maybe just here.

My point about the rear head room was that there has to be room for people over 1.90 as the point of the GT is just what it's name says, Gran Turismo... a great way to travel. The way there should not just be transport, like in a 5-series Touring or an E-class T-model...

Expect Mercedes to watch this one closely. Pricing and positioning is more or less on a par with the R-Class. The R-Class facelift is due in a few months and before getting phased out Mercedes will patiently spectate how the 5er plays out on the market. If successful, Mercedes are bound to alter the R-Class concept into something less utilitarian but more sexy.

This is merely the end of the beginning for the crossover concept Carguy.

Mercedes Benz had fantastic success with the CLS.
Porsche is pursuing their own take on the crossover with the Panamera.
Land Rover's LRX will be a crossover stunner.
BMW's X6 is already a sales success.
Nissan has the Qashqai... and so on.

Consumers are becoming weary of the mundane and commonplace. They demand greater choice for the amount of money they're going to spend. Crossovers present car makers with opportunities to attract a broader consumer demographic.

Understand this, huge advances in the industry along the lines of advanced computer-aided design/prototyping and automated manufacturing methodologies allow manufacturers to be more flexible and hence, more profitable off so-called niche models.

So, BMW reckon they see an opportunity in the 5er GT.

It was a 3-seater bench.

I hope you didn't sit in the middle seat. Since that seat doesn't have a special recess in the ceiling - for the "extra" headroom.

Yet I noticed - in the case when the seats are pushed completely back, and when a tall person in the back seat leans his/her head completely back (eg. since he / her want to rest) - then there's a bigger chance he/she can touch the ceiling with the top-back of the head.

This is not the case when:

a) a person sits in a normal (more upright) position,
b) seats are moved more forward (seats can be moved forward-backwards within a range of 10cm)
c) individual seats are used for transporting passengers who like to rest - individual seats can recline a bit, so one can rest there without any far of touching the ceiling.






According to industry rumors (internal supplier's info etc) MB are already developing a R-class successor more in a F500 Concept like - so, more 5er GT like.

The fact is trends are heading towards "more-in-1" products. So called "hybrids" or "crossovers" or "multi-products" - a new product with characteristics of 2 ore more specialized products.

This trend has been already present in other fields, and is now also present in automotive industry.

So, expect more "weird" vehicles in the future.

^ This is the way of the future: greater diversity, bigger product overlaps, more choice. I needed to get over it. And I did.

Still, don't expect me to heap this amount of appreciation on a Barchetta crossed with a Jeep

Y not? Because it's really, really cheezy.

Yes, greater diversification ,greater customization, greater personalization of the products - that's the future trend. Based on a common platform, of course. Otherwise the profitability would be an issue.

Y not Y? I don't see Y.

People have to realize the trends from other sectors are also moving into car sector as well.

Next step: Sports Activity Sedan, and Progressive Activity Coupe.

Check Aston Martin Lagonda Concept for SAS, and Audi RoadJet Concept for PAC. Of course in more typical BMW interpretation.