BMW Gran Turismo Says to Heck With Convention

BMW AG has many tricks up its corporate sleeve in the area of product development. One vehicle may showcase an all-new engine or transmission or an innovative approach to steering or chassis control, or all of the above.

 

But the new 5-Series Gran Turismo has none of those. Instead of offering a technical advancement, this aerodynamically designed coupe-like sedan is all about packaging and, to an extent, recycling proven attributes on vehicles already in production.

Although “5-Series,” is part of its name, the Gran Turismo actually shares more architectural underpinnings with the flagship 750i sedan – and handles with the same confidence, too.

The two vehicles have the same wheelbase (the Gran Turismo is 3 ins. [7.6 cm] shorter overall) and share the identical twin-turbo 400-hp V-8, steering system and 8-speed transmission. Interior design continuity also carries over from the 7-Series.

But behind the back seat, the Gran Turismo is something the 7-Series will never be: a hatchback. Bavarian engineers are probably spitting out their coffee at the mere suggested linkage between the brand’s most luxurious sedan and a term unofficially banished from America’s automotive lexicon years ago.

The magic of the Gran Turismo is it doesn’t have to be a hatchback. It has both a trunk and a fully functioning liftgate. The trunk opens and closes like any other, but the opening is smaller and vertical, resembling the business end of a large-mouth bass. Raise the liftgate, and the back window goes with it, along with the entire back of the car above the bumper, including the trunk lid and all the mechanical parts, allowing it to open and close. BMW calls it a “bi-modal trunk” or “dual-access tailgate.”

Italian auto makers first coined the term Gran Turismo (Grand Touring) in the 1950s for stylish 2-seat sports cars with luxurious amenities. The hatchback body style was essential to provide luggage room for two, for weekend get-aways.

BMW expands on the concept by keeping the coupe-like profile but adding two more doors (all four aluminum lightweight doors have frameless windows) and a back seat.

Standard in the second row is bench seating for three, with a 40-20-40 split for selective fold-down. Optional is luxury rear seating for two, which offers adjustable power bucket seats (with power head restraints) separated by a center console.

Product planners anticipate most models will be equipped with the standard 3-passenger rear bench partly because most customers for the Gran Turismo are expected to be women with children.

Despite the raked roofline at the rear of the Gran Turismo, the back seat is exceptionally spacious, with more headroom and nearly 3 ins. (7.6 cm) of additional legroom when compared with the 750i. The entire back seat also slides fore and aft nearly 4 ins. (10 cm).

The Gran Turismo also is the first BMW in the U.S. to offer regenerative braking. Instead of running continuously, this unique alternator charges the battery only when the vehicle is decelerating or braking. Otherwise, it freewheels, drawing virtually no power from the engine and boosting fuel efficiency 2%. A more powerful battery accommodates the less frequent charging.

The Gran Turismo is a lot of things – a luxury car, family hauler, sporty performer and functional use. And it’s an affordable way to get 7-Series technology.

 

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