German Car Zone

And the first review is up.

BMW 5-series GT 530d - Road Test First Drive - Autocar.co.uk

They love it.

This is interesting, I didn't know this:


So the F10 5er sedan is pretty much a completely different car from 5er GT as far as suspension goes. 5er sedan and Touring always have their own individual suspension system (something that I believe was the cause of great troubles for the E61 M5 Touring development).
So basicly, 5er GT is more a 7er hybrid than 5er hybrid. It shares the same wheelbase and front suspension....

Great review!

Btw, can somebody please move all post concerning first drive review in a new dedicated thread eg. "5-series GT: first drives & reviews".

A Whole New Road to Tiptoe for BMW

Remember a few years ago when we were trying to figure out the crossover? We just couldn't get the idea of a sort-of car on a car chassis but tall almost like an SUV. Now crossovers are everywhere, and their sales appeal has saved not a few car companies.

Our newest challenge in vehicular innovation is the "coupelike" sedan that sits somewhere between a four-door and a crossover. We've just now effortlessly egressed from the tall 2010 BMW 5 Series GT in Portugal after driving many, many miles, and our mind is swimming with what this all means. Making its public debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show this month, the 5 Gran Turismo is not quite as shocking a product moment as the Porsche Panamera, but it is an entirely new test for the Bimmer faithful.

Does it drive like an Ultimate Driving Machine? We cannot wholeheartedly say yes. Does it drive like a 2006 Pontiac Montana? Absolutely not.

The 2010 BMW 5 GT has a lot going for it, but it's most likely going to take a massively innovative marketing effort to convince BMW aficionados in key markets (read: North America) that it is worthy of the Bavarian roundel, and to persuade people new to BMW that it is worth the premium swan dive into larger monthly payments in these uncertain times.

Here's Your Brief
What BMW bosses handed their designers to tackle back in late 2005 was the company's first vehicle meant to cater blatantly to upper-middle-class family life. But it couldn't be too blatantly a family carrier or the minivan thing would soon scare away the all-important image-conscious orthodontists and corporate managers. And thus started the usual design challenge, as all the cooks in the kitchen tell one another that it needs to be a little bit this and a little bit that, ad infinitum. The risk of turning such a notion into something that means nothing in particular to anyone must have loomed large.

First, the 5 GT is not a 5 Series at all, really. The wheelbase and both track widths are identical to those of the new 7 Series, with which it shares the really good F01 modular chassis that has been created for use with the next 5 and 6 Series as well as the new 7 Series.

Since the GT is 4.3 inches taller than the current-generation 535i sport wagon (and 3.5 inches squatter than the X6), the ease of entry and exit is right on with the design brief — the height is perfect for the everyday. Regarding interior space, the 5 GT is pure genius and we could easily see ourselves driving it cross-country nonstop if the fuel tank held 200 gallons of unleaded and there were a port-a-john aboard. It's particularly spacious in the rear, offering the legroom of a 7 Series and the headroom of an X5.

Looking Good?
Here's where we hesitate. Looking at every single current BMW model up until today, we can say without hesitation that they are all justifiably sexy and/or handsome.

If anyone looks straight on at the rear end of the BMW 5 GT and uses the adjective "sexy" or "handsome," then we must have changed planets. We can deal pretty easily with the 5 GT from a few angles, but the full-on rear view is just not pleasing to the eye.

BMW Group design head Adrian von Hooydonk, along with design leader of the BMW brand Anders Warming, will have several weeks' worth of heated explaining ahead of them. (We can hear former BMW design director Chris Bangle calling out from his grappa farm even now, "Welcome to my world, boys!") Both of these design talents were present in Portugal for our early drive and it was clear that they were aware that this robust discussion was soon to begin.


Full Story: Edmunds Inside Line - 2010 BMW 5 Series GT First Drive


I think I can honestly say that this BMW looks better and better every time it is photographed, and I bet it will look great in person. Darker to medium colors and better wheels will do the trick, though I still think this is one BMW/vehicle too many. A solution to a niche that doesn't exist. We shall see.


M

It's funny to know that the 5er GT isn't a 5er at all, but more of a 7er hybrid with F10 5er Touring back suspension....

Perhaps US journalists & customers think about some certain BMW products from US-perspective too much.
Eg. by which 1er hatch, X1, 5er GT, even X3 & X6 seem weird & redundant. Not to mention the Touring models.
BUT ... BMW makes global products. And while still US is the biggest BMW market, they have to also cater other tastes in other markets as well (Europe, Asia, ME etc).




So, not everything that doesn't attract US market is redundant & iffy. Such claims could be very easily labeled as ignorant.


Eg. X6 is exceeding BMW plans (max. 35k units per year sold worldwide - when full model line is revealed) - since the car is selling like hot cakes. 20k cars were sold in 2009 (worldwide) till the end of the June - in the middle of global recession!!! Yet the car isn't as popular as expected in home US market - where sales lag behind the plans. But when economy picks up, be sure the numbers will be better.

Or eg. 5er wagon - very popular model in Europe, while sales in US are marginal.

Perhaps same case will be with 5er GT & X1 - I'm sure US sales won't be huge, but the cars will be global success nonetheless.

The niche does exist ... And with such niche weird crossovers (X6, 5er GT) BMW boosts its image: being an innovative brand, offering very lifestyle oriented powerful vehicles. For broader tastes.


******

Btw I find this article by Edmunds funny. Why?

The journalist says:

And few lines above he offers an answer himself ...


So, yes ... form follows function. It's impossible for a large SUV-spacious vehicle with elevated driving position to end up being as low & sleek as eg. 5dr/4dr sportsCoupes like CLS, Panamera, A5 or A7 ...

Since the function, nature & intent of the vehicle is completely different.

So, 1,56m tall car just can't have a low rear hatch end - unless you make the car like 6m long, with 4m long wheelbase. Especially when the aim is the hatch is very practical.

Eg. Panamera's height: 1,42m ; A5 SB: 1,39m ; A7 SB: 1,40m


That speaks for the journalist complete ignorance & lack of knowledge in engineering field. Nor he does understand the point of marketing: if the brief is to design & develop spacious & high-sitting vehicle (hatch) such car just CAN'T posses sexiness of classic low&sleek a sportscar.

And when BMW designers, managers & engineers will explain that to the journalists, some will still go : "Oh, what a PR / marketing BS! They are just unable to design a beautiful car. Look at A5 or A7."

I hope they will go silent when 6er GT is introduced ...

Not good looking, not driving like a BMW, but practical and comfortable. I guess you can't please them all...

That what I said in my impressions posted a few months back. It's a car with very grand dimensions. Even the X6 appears small in comparison. Think R-Class with a more slender shape.

I wouldn't listen comments from US journalists on hatch designs - since we all know - US market has some issue with hatch design, especially in premium segment.

Eg. European journalists (and especially customers) are much more pleased with the design - since hatch is much more popular in Europe.

Not driving like BMW ... As mentioned by many - this car has VERY soft setting option (Comfort setting), and also very hard one (Sport+) - the other two are much better.

Sure this car doesn't drive like regular BMW sedan - since it isn't a regular sedan. But nor does the BMW SUV. And nor does SACoupe drive like regular BMW coupe. But that doesn't mean the car does not posses that typical BMW driving feeling.

Also: 5er GT (just like X5) has suspension settings fitted to the car being fully loaded ... Although X5 is a bit heavier (more absolute weight also on rear axle), and also less jumpy when not fully loaded.

While 5er GT drives best when loaded with passengers & luggage - since the care is made for that in the first place ... Although the ride in not loaded car is also very good - but you have to set the suspension right. Some "journalists" still don't know that on certain roads one mode works better than other, and on other some other mode is better -and some experimental work has to be done by the driver to find the best choice for a certain road. Sure in few hours that's impossible to find out - therefore such articles are called "first impressions" for a reason.