BMW 530d GT Review

As far as comfort goes, the 530d Gran Turismo we tested is right up there with cars that cost almost twice as much, including its 7-Series big brother, making us really wonder about the huge difference in pricing between the two models. The four seats are identical to the ones from the 2+2 optioned 7-Series, while the interior space is actually larger in the GT.

On top of that, you can haul more with the 5 GT, thanks to the gigantic opening of the hatch and the electrically-foldable rear seats. The options list is also almost identical, so its only real downside remains in the design and engine department, since you can't fit it with a V12.

The front seats have so many electrical adjustments that you can practically shape them around you, no matter how big or small your frame is. The individual rears seats are also electrically adjustable in a number of directions apart from height and a couple of others, making the rear passengers a bit more important than they really are, while also delivering enough space to transform that interior part into a personal office.

As we mentioned before, the suspension settings can be adjusted in four different ways, from "mildly harsh" to "driving on clouds", so we had absolutely no quarrels with this bit. Sadly, our test car wasn't fitted with the optional four-zone climate control system, but the dual zone we had delivered enough performance, especially considering we mostly drove with the glass sunroof uncovered and it was pretty hot outside.

Even though you'd expect that a pair of 19-inch alloy wheels with pretty slim side walls for the tires would be a bit jittery on paved roads, the suspension setup is absolutely fantastic, especially after switching to the right driving mode. All in all, apart from the 7-Series, this is the most comfortable BMW we have ever driven. It's like a personal luxury shuttle.

One of the smartest moves BMW could make was to fit the 5-Series GT with almost all the technology available for the E65 7-Series and even some more. The electronically controlled damper system is included in the Adaptive Drive system, along with a programable behavior for the steering, throttle response and the way the eight-speed automatic transmission shifts.

On top of that, our test car was fitted with Integral Rear Axle Steering, which is a pretty interesting piece of technology, even at this level, especially when it's paired to the BMW Active Steering system. The integral steering system works by varying the steering angle of the real wheels in a different direction than the front wheels at low speeds, to ensure better handling around town and during parking maneuvers. At higher speeds, it changes the angle of the rear wheels to turn in the same direction as the front wheels to increase the stability and agility of the car during lane changes and high speed cornering.

Along with the active anti-roll bars, just like on the previous 7-Series, these systems provide the necessary sportiness one would expect from a BMW. The three-liter inline six diesel engine is using a latest generation Common Rail system, which makes it both economical and powerful. The 6.9 seconds required from naught to 100 km/h (62 mph) are more than decent for a car weighing over two tonnes, while the medium fuel consumption of around 7.5-8 liters per 100 kilometers (US 29.4-31.4 mpg) makes the whole setup pretty unbelievably efficient.

The ZF 8 HP transmission, which is shared with a number of other premium car manufacturers like Porsche, Audi and Bentley is probably the best automatic gearbox that is still using a torque converter on the market. With no less than eight forward gears, it can offer seamless shifts in "comfort" mode, while in "sport" mode it can shift in no higher than 200 milliseconds, which is almost right up there with the double-clutch sequentials.

Although our test car was far from being fitted with all the gizmos available (for a hefty price, we might add) from BMW, almost any techie will feel right at home inside of a 5 Series GT. We should probably start with the "electrical-everything". All four seats were electrically adjustable in just about any direction - with the rear ones also being electrically foldable, four automatic electrically-operated windows, electrically-adjustable steering wheel, electrically-operated and adjustable dual boot lid and an electric (gigantic) glass sunroof.

Other that, our car also had heated front seats and steering wheel – an option which we didn't get to appreciate as much considering we didn't test the car in the winter time – and the Adaptive Drive system we were mentioning earlier, which can offer no less than four different driving modes, controlling the shock absorbers setup, the adaptive steering, the acceleration pedal response and the eight-speed automatic transmission – which also has two driving modes of its own.

As we've said before, the 5-Series GT also benefits from a number of technologies imported from the 7-Series, and we should probably mention the Night Vision system, which also has a pedestrian detection system. It works with the help of a camera mounted in the grille, which transmits the image it receives on the center console-mounted display.

The cool bit about it (apart from the fact that it exists, of course) is the fact that it uses thermal imaging instead of image intensification, thus opening the way for a whole new range of stupidly interesting things to do with it, like checking out how hot are the tires of the car in front of you.

Also, not technically a gadget but cool nonetheless, the twin-opening of the hatch is simply genius, even though it's not the first such contraption on the market, since Skoda beat BMW with a similar system a couple of years ago. The even cooler part about it is the fact that you can program how much  the main hatch will open from the iDrive system. Speaking of which, we should also specify the inclusion of the latest generation iDrive system, with a number of helpful extra buttons around it, thus making it much more user-friendly than the dreadful first generation found on the non-facelift E65 7-Series.

Even though at the date this review is being written, neither the 5-Series Gran Turismo nor the regular 5-Series have been crash tested by an international organization like the EuroNCAP - or the American IIHS or NHTSA – we think it's safe (yes, it's a pun) to say that potential future owners shouldn't be too worried about this aspect.

Our test car was packed with airbags, with two dual stage frontal ones, two thorax airbags for the front passengers and two head airbags that protect each and every passenger inside the vehicle. As far as the active safety goes, we should probably mention the standard anti-lock braking system, the electronic stability control, cornering brake control and emergency braking assist, which are all there to make keep the heavy bugger on track.

As far as the other safety bits on our 5 GT, we should probably also mention the long wheelbase which increases high-speed stability, while the contribution of the Integral Rear Axle Steering is pretty much self-explanatory. Also, taking an example from sixth grade physics, an object's mass increases along with speed. Seeing that the 530d GT is already a heavy car even standing still, you can imagine which car would take more damage from a head on impact between a two tonne car and a one and a half one.

All in all, we think that the 530d Gran Turismo is a very safe car, but we reserve the right to change the rather high "Safety" chapter score in the unfortunate event that an organized crash test will obliterate the car or something.

The best part about the 530d Gran Turismo is without a doubt is its ability to blend the space and ergonomics of a full-size SUV with the comfort, safety and performance of a sporty sedan. Sure, the name is a downright marketing gimmick because apart from the luxury amenities it doesn't offer anything that says "gran turismo", starting with the odd exterior lines and the fact that it has a diesel engine. As good as the three-liter oil burner is, it's no match for a high torque gasoline engine with at least eight cylinders. Maybe a 550i GT would have been closer to a real GT than the one we drove.

As far as the bad things with this car go, we think we agree with pretty much everyone in stating that BMW has produced much more beautiful cars than this one over the years. The "Notre Dame hunchback" side view is trying too hard to blend a larger interior space with the look of a large coupe and the result is a rather odd compromise. We can't call it ugly, but it's far from being a good-looking car nonetheless.

The ugly bit about the 530d GT is probably the fact that it tries too hard to encompass the quality of so many body types, while not overachieving at any level. It sits higher than a regular sedan or hatch, but it can't measure up to an SUV, even in the recently-launched all-wheel drive guise. The interior is large enough to fit four (or even five, in the standard version) passengers in total comfort, but that is in the detriment of the four-door coupe look. On the whole, the 5 GT is the weird, geeky kid on a high school hall, but that doesn't mean nobody likes him.