Official: BMW Unveils 5 Series Gran Turismo

Last week we showed a glimpse of the upcoming 5 Series Gran Turismo and speculated as to many of its drivetrain components. Now BMW has released official details on the all-new model and released a slew of pictures detailing just about every aspect of the new car. The only details that remain to be seen are starting prices and the release date, to which we’re guessing the 5 Series GT could go on sale somewhere in the low $60,000 range later this year.

The 2010 BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo will come in three different assortments although it’s not immediately clear which will make it to North America. The base model is the 2010 BMW 535i GT which comes with the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 under the hood producing 306 horsepower. For improved performance, the 2010 BMW 550i GT (pictured above) will also use twin-turbochargers but affixed to BMW’s 4.4-liter V-8 good for 407 horsepower. BMW claims that the 535i GT can go from 0-62 miles per hour in a respectable 6.3 seconds and the 550i can hit the same speed in an impressive 5.5 seconds. With diesel variants of the 3 Series and the BMW X5, the planned diesel-powered 2010 BMW 530d could fit in nicely between its oil-burning relatives with fuel economy estimates somewhere in the 36 mile per gallon range on the highway.

Changes between the production model and the 5 Series Gran Turismo Concept that was displayed at this year’s Geneva Motor Show are minimal, and unlike the 5 Series sedan, the GT offers a more coupe-like roofline leading to a sloped rear glass and a short decklid. To help distinguish the four-passenger 5 Series GT from its sedan counterpart, BMW also gave it a more aggressive front end. Most of the design elements are shared with the all-new 7 Series such as the scalloped headlights, more upright front fascia and the L-shaped taillights. Despite its dual personality as sedan and hatchback, the wide front fenders, crisp body lines and sleek roofline all give the new 5 Series GT a sporty stance.

Not only does the roofline help give the 5 Series GT its identifiable shape, but it also allows the car to offer a dual-purpose rear liftgate (see above image) that can either open as a conventional decklid similar to a sedan or liftgate similar to most hatchbacks. For smaller items, the car’s small decklid folds upward like a sedan allowing covered access to this compartment. For larger or bulkier items, the decklid and rear glass combine to act as a liftgate.

Inside, the 2010 5 Series GT blends the luxury of the 7 Series with the usefulness of the X5, and it is also distinctly different from the 5 Series sedan. Compared to the round edges inside the sedan, the GT has a much more straight-edged look. The sedan’s double brow instrument panel is replaced by a single brow that runs the entire width of the dash, while all of the controls are more centrally located in the center stack. Even the center console looks cleaner by having the emergency brake lever replaced by a more modern push button control to actuate the e-brake. Finishing off the luxurious cabin, the 5 Series GT offers backlit ambient lighting in the overhead console, door panels and instrument panel.

BMW built the 5 Series GT to be more of a versatile car than the BMW X6 that many people are comparing the new car to. With the rear seats slid back, the 5 Series GT offers as much rear legroom as the flagship BMW sedan with similar rear headroom to BMW’s biggest crossover. Spacious accommodations for four passengers also yields up to 20.7 cubic feet of cargo space in the trunk, but the car also has the ability to fold the back seats down to swallow up to 59.5 cubic feet of cargo.

Early in development, BMW referred to what is now the 5 Series GT as the Progressive Activity Sedan and it was aimed at going up against the Mercedes-Benz R-Class. Given the R-Class’ lack of success, the 5 Series GT now seems to go up against cars like the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class, Volkswagen CC and the upcoming Audi A5 Sportback.