Another week, another BMW crossover model. After we recently tested the X1 (which we dubbed a 3 Series hatchback with hiking boots) it was the turn of the 5 Series GT for a week-long evaluation - and a lot of head-scratching on our part as to where it fits in.
The 5 Series GT, like the X1 and the similarly identity-confused X6, is a square peg that doesn't quite fit the round hole of any traditional market segment. It's neither an MPV nor a hatchback or sedan, but kinda the three rolled into one - although not really. Confused? So are we, but let's plough on...
The GT, BMW tells us, stands for Grand Tourer (or Gran Turismo if you want to sound zhoozh) but that begs the question: how is it more of a grand tourer than a regular 5 Series sedan which already epitomises the term with its refined luxury, spaciousness and powerful engines?
On first impression the GT's just a Five Series with a funny shape and a whacky boot.
Let's start with the funny shape. Styling is highly subjective and five people will usually have six different opinions but I think it's safe to say this isn't Bavaria's sexiest design. Taken individually, each end looks elegant but mating that huge body to a coupe roofline creates a disorientating feel - it's like joining the front end of a racehorse to the back end of a swan. I do concede it looks a lot better in the metal than in pictures.
Other unique design elements of the GT include its frameless-window doors and this is the first BMW with headlight corona rings that stay on permanently. It also has a panoramic glass roof, if you like that sort of thing. (Why automakers' media material continues to describe a glass roof as 'panoramic' beats us - all you can see through a glass roof is the sky. - Ed.)
It's once you get to the rear seats and boot that you start understanding where BMW was going with the GT idea and that perhaps it wasn't just spawned by designers who got over-enthusiastic with the schnapps one night.
For versatility the GT beats the sedan with rear seats that adjust forward and back depending on whether you need more boot space or more legroom. Rear passengers can either have 7 Series legroom with a 440-litre boot (smaller than the Five sedan's 520 litres) or move the back seats forward individually by up to 10cm and still have as much legroom as in the 5 sedan but an increase in luggage capacity to 590 litres.
The boot also expands to a bigger size than the sedan's, with 1700 litres available if you ditch the rear passengers and fold their seats.
The two-piece tail door is a clever piece of work that offers either a complete hatch-like opening for larger objects or a small opening where the cabin remains sealed off from the boot so that in the middle of winter you don't have to let freezing air into the cabin. All very clever, but how does it go?
SPIRITED POWER DELIVERY
It's nearly two tons of car to schlepp around but, as usual, BMW has engines up to the task. The money's-no-object contingent will undoubtedly go for the flagship 550i while the economy-minded will choose the gutsy 330d turbodiesel but this 535i version we drove has little to be embarrassed about on the power front.
The GT 535i, retailing optionless for R737 000, is powered by a three-litre, straight-six petrol engine with a twin-scroll turbocharger and Valvetronic and makes a heady 225kW and 400Nm, with an eight-speed (yes, eight) Steptronic automatic transmission feeding the rear wheels.
The power train does a sterling job of zooming this heavyweight along at speed and in silence, the spirited power delivery backed by a smooth soundtrack with just a hint of sporty growl. It munches away the kilometres at an easy lope that legalises the grand tourer tag.
The beast also gets off the line without discernible turbo lag to record a seven-second 0-100km/h at Reef altitude, which is brisk in anybody's language. BMW claims 8.9 litres/100km - we averaged 12.3.
CUSHY RIDE
A "dynamic drive control" system offers a mapping to suit any driver's mood and modulates gearshift, throttle, traction control and steering assistance according to your choice of four settings: Comfort, Normal, Sport and Sport+.
The GT's steel front springs and rear air-suspension deliver a cushy ride, even with the optional 20" ultra low-profile tyres on our test car (higher-profile 19" rims are standard). The big Beem masks its bulk well in the corners with a neutral and sure-footed feel that, while heavy, never feels wallowy. A lot of that is down to the excellent steering feel, ensuring that you're still getting the promised "sheer driving pleasure".
Apart from oodles of legroom, the GT comes with all the luxury trappings and high-class finishes. There are too many gadgets to mention but my favourites were the head-up display (standard) and night vision (a R22 700 option) that also identifies warm-blooded critters (such as people) roaming around in the dark. The system picked up objects and people much quicker than the naked eye and flashed warnings to the fascia monitor and the windscreen display.
VERDICT
Yes, it has all the right BMW stuff: great refinement, luxury, power and driver appeal, but with an extra dose of versatility. At a price though, as the 535i GT costs R91 000 more than the 535i sedan.
How do we classify this oddball, but ultimately very likeable, Beem? It's a cross between a 5 Series and a Renault Scenic. - INL Motoring