BMW 530d GT Review

At the end of the 1990s, the tri-star badged part of the German trio of premium car manufacturers went all cuckoo and started to aggressively diversify its range, achieving an unprecedented number of models in less than a decade. It all started with the SLK roadster-coupe, the double-floor and front-wheel drive A-Klasse and the M-Klasse premium SUV, but it all went downhill from there.

During the next few years, the Mercedes-Benz range of models doubled and then tripled, while Audi and BMW had to keep their sales increase momentum with just their "regular" models. The situation really started to worsen at the beginning of the 2000s, when BMW didn't take it anymore and somewhat spilled the beans on their future model range expansion as well. Among their future projects were a couple of models comprising a never-before-heard-of range of BMWs.

The so-called BMW "Project Activity Series" was first thought by car journos around the world to be a direct retaliation against the Mercedes-Benz R-Klasse and B-Klasse, consequently, but as time went by it became apparent that this was not the case.

When spy-shots first began pouring in with the first model from the upcoming two-model range it became obvious that one of the new cars will have a completely unexpected raked roof, making it a totally different type of car than the Mercedes R-Klasse.

First launched as a teasing concept at the 2009 Geneve Auto Show, the first PAS (Progressive Activity Sedan) production model became known as the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo. Based on the 5-Series platform, the 5 GT is actually closer in size and interior amenities to the 7-Series with a pinch of X5 and X6.

Technically a niche within and niche, the 5 Series GT is a very peculiar appearance in the land of sedans, coupes, hatchbacks and SUVs. We say this because it borrows details from each of these types of bodywork. It has four doors like a sedan, but it can also have a hatch, it has frameless doors and a sloping roof like a coupe and the seating position is almost as high as in an SUV. In other words, it's a mumbo-jumbo of a car.

To see what its qualities and downsides really are we managed to borrow a 530d GT and put it to the test. Our preconceptions about the car before the test drive were either smashed or strengthened during our drive, but if you want us to get into details you should check out the rest of the review.

Although general opinions about the 5-Series GT's look are split in two or more sides, we didn't manage to find a single person to actually call it "beautiful". Most opinions ranged from "awful" to "OK" via "weird", with a few exceptions saying that it's "nice" - but we suspect those guys were referring to the overall car, not the design.

The front is typically modern BMW, with an enlarged "kidney grille" and semi-swooping headlights, obviously fitted with the trademarked "angel eyes. The very similar design cues shared with the BMW CS Concept from 2007 (especially the grille and the headlights) are very apparent and were also the main reason for us to realize that most of the lines were penned by Karim-Antoine Habib, the guy who's also responsible for the F01/02 7 Series and the aforementioned concept car.

The funny part is that Mr. Habib has since defected to arch-rivals from Mercedes-Benz, which is probably why BMW only credited the 5-Series Gran Turismo interior designer, Oliver Heilmer, at the car's official launch at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 2009. Be it as it is, the similarities between the front of the 5 GT and the one from the BMW CS Concept can only be good news, because it makes the car much classier and sportier than the side would lead you to believe.

The hunchback-like side view is probably the main reason for the controversies concerning the car's overall design. The "squashed X6" look doesn't quite do it justice, especially since it's such a large vehicle, the only design details saving the whole situation a bit being the multi-spoke, 19-inch alloy wheels.

Getting to the rear is where we find a touch of 7-Series, especially in the taillights department and the overall look of the trunk lid. In case it isn't obvious by now, the 5-Series only shares part of its name and the unseeable underpinnings with the 5-Series sedan, since everything else – at least design-wise is borrowed from either the the CS Concept, the 7-Series or the X6.

The end result is... let's call it "different". We absolutely loved the front end, the frameless windows and parts of the rear, but the car's most evident design trait, the side, can only fall in the "oddity department". On the whole, along with the BMW X6, the 5-Series Gran Turismo is probably even more controversial than the E65 7-Series, which might be a good thing since it draws so much attention.

With a wheelbase identical to that of the 7-Series and an interior height similar to that of an X5, the available space inside the 5-Series Gran Turismo is immense, to put it simply. The 2+2 (optional) seating arrangement is making it look even bigger, while also offering the amenities of a Gulfstream jet airplane.

Unlike most of the BMWs built between 2001 and 2007, the 5 GT doesn't look like it was hand-assembled by a LEGO fanatic. Oliver Heilmer, the guy who also penned the interior of the E70 X5, the X6 and the F10 5-Series really outdid himself with the Gran Turismo, creating an interior atmosphere more than worthy of the premium segment, especially for a BMW.

The driver-oriented center console is back in business, after a brief absence in the E60 5-Series, but the real surprise came from the little upscale details, such as the aluminium "separation line" in the dashboard, which continues uninterrupted along the front and rear doors. Although our car had quite a decent amount of optional features, the center console didn't feel completely stacked with buttons, giving a very clean feel.

Of course, most of the car's functions can be accessed via the improved generation of the highly-touted iDrive infotainment system. The four individual seats are taken straight from the 7-Series, offering a similar level of comfort and options. For example, apart from a couple of adjustments, the individual rear seats benefit from the exact same options as the ones in the front.

Except the spaciousness, the high overall quality and the seating arrangement, the real surprise can be found at the car's rear. Even though at first glance you might take the 5-Series GT as a hatchback, the truth is that it is... and it isn't.

The luggage compartment has at least 440 liters (15.5 cubic feet), expandable to no less than 1700 liters (60 cubic feet) via the foldable rear seats. The cool part is that you can fold them electrically using the buttons situated in the luggage compartment. The really really cool part is the fact that the hatch is comprised of two parts which can be open individually, in a similar fashion with the twin-hatch system present on the latest Skoda Superb.

This feature is most welcomed in the winter, when opening the trunk doesn't necessarily mean the passengers have to get instant chills like in any other hatchback. On the whole, given the quality of materials used inside, the overall spaciousness and the variability brought by the twin opening of the hatch we consider this one of the coolest BMWs ever, at least when it comes to the interior.

Given the fact that this is a car almost as long as a 7-Series, we weren't expecting to be very comfortable with it in a crowded city. As it turns out, our preconceptions were somewhat strengthened by the fact that the 5 GT has really small exterior rear view mirrors giving the car's size, while the rear windshield doesn't offer the level of visibility you would expect.

On top of that, our test car wasn't fitted with the optional rear view camera, or the Infiniti-like "bird's eye view" four-camera system, since both are optional on the 530d. In other words, lateral parking the 5-Series GT can sometime be a pain, at least until you get used to the car's size and huge rearwards blind spots.

Sure, our car was fitted with the optional and very helpful front and rear parking sensors, but they are almost always a bit too pessimistic when showing how close you are to an object. On the good side, their sensitivity can be fine-tuned using the iDrive system, so they might begin to scream after you already hit the fire hydrant. We're only kidding, of course, they're nice to have around.

After establishing that visibility at the rear isn't very good for tight parking maneuvers, we should probably also add that the all-round visibility is actually better than we expected, mainly thanks to the commanding seating position and the somewhat large windows, except towards the rear, because of the petite rear windshield.

As far as the city fuel consumption goes, despite being a car that weighs over two tonnes, it's more than appropriate. The three-liter inline six diesel engine is a perfect example of how diesel technology has evolved over the years, especially on a BMW equipped with "Efficient Dynamics". The official fuel consumption numbers in the city are 8.1 liters per 100 kilometers (US 29 mpg), which would be accurate in a perfect world.

Sadly, we don't live in a perfect world, with perfect traffic and perfectly synchronized stoplights, so our own in-city figures were around 10 liters per 100 kilometers (US 23.5 mpg) at the lowest. That happened during normal driving, without putting those 245 horsepower to the test. During rush hour or with a heavier right foot, those figures can miraculously transform into around 13.5 liters per 100 kilometers (US 17.8 mpg).

Either way, despite consuming much more fuel than the highly optimistic official numbers, keep in mind this is a leviathan of a car, almost as long and about as heavy as a 7-Series, so we were most easily impressed by these results.

Outside the busy city is were the 530d GT can really show its attributes. Whether we're talking about driving dynamics, downright speed or comfort, our test car handled just beautifully. The "Adaptive Drive" system our test car was fitted with, though not benefitting from an electronically-controlled pneumatic suspension, can really make you feel like you're driving four different cars, depending on which level you use it.

Technically, the system gives the driver control over the shock absorbers, the way the eight-speed automatic transmission changes gears, the throttle response and the electronic stability control. There are four modes available – Comfort, Normal, Sport and Sport Plus – guaranteeing four totally different driving experiences.

In "Comfort" mode the suspension practically transforms the 5 GT into a wobbling boat on wheels, but the comfort over speed bumps or paved roads is similar to that of a super luxury vehicle . The car is simply wafting around, making you feel like a Maharajah being carried by slaves. In "Normal" and "Sport" mode, consequently, the suspension settings become harder, the acceleration response is almost instantaneous and the gearbox changes faster and at higher rpm.

The "Sport Plus" mode is the closest thing to remind you this is a BMW after all, and apart from the harder shock absorber settings (with active anti-roll bars), more direct steering, instant throttle response and reprogramming the transmission ECU is also modifying the way that the electronic stability control and anti-skid regulator system work, making them much less intrusive. To put it simply, almost everything becomes harsh, exact and dynamic.

Since at the time we tested the car it was only available in rear-wheel drive, the sensations provided in "Sport Plus" mode was even more pronounced, with the back end of the car casually getting off course every time we pushed the pedal to the metal just a tad bit early into a curve. As far as the fuel consumption goes, we managed around 6.5 liters per 100 kilometers (US 36.2 mpg) while using the cruise control on the highway, and around 9 liters per 100 kilometers (US 26.1 mpg) while in "Sport Plus" mode during a rather sporty driving session.

The official 5.6 liters per 100 km (US 42 mpg) are not completely non-achievable, but you must be very gentle with the accelerator pedal in order to accomplish them. Either way, The 530d GT is extremely fuel efficient for such a large and heavy car. On the whole, the 5-Series GT is one of the best BMWs ever for long-distance traveling, if not the actual best, along with the 7-Series.