As for the iDrive system, well it’s still a distraction, but this second generation is easier to manipulate than the first, and the multimedia screen is among the biggest we’ve seen in a car so far, which is great for flipping through the system’s menus or for using the navigation system.
Cargo space, which should be important if you’re seriously considering a hatchback, is rated at 440 litres with the back panels up. Ironically, the 5-Series sedan’s trunk offers more volume. Fold down the rear seats and the divider wall in the GT, however, and 1,700 litres of space is available, slightly more than in a 5-Series Touring.
The rear hatch is a clever design, as you can open it like a trunk or like a conventional hatchback that includes the rear glass portion. The idea is to be able to open the trunk without a draft down rear passengers’ necks, but the hatch and its mechanism is one of the reasons the car is so darn heavy.
For 2010, the 550i is the only version of the Gran Turismo you can get in North America, although a 300-horsepower 535i and xDrive are available for the 2011 model year. Base price is $79,600, which is actually a little less than a 2010 550i sedan.
Our test car includes the Executive Package ($4,000), the Sport Package ($2,500), the Multimedia Package ($3,500), the Integral Active Steering ($1,900) and a ski bag ($395), for a grand total of $91,895.
The 550i GT doesn’t have any real competition, which is normal when you create a new category of vehicles. Audi should launch its five-door A7 this year, though, and at Mercedes, the only vehicle that comes close is the R-Class, which is only available with 6-cylinder engines and doesn’t cost as much as the BMW.
So it’s different. But is there something in the Gran Turismo that’s unique, that’s better than what’s found elsewhere and that deserves some extra attention? It drives as well as any 5-Series sedan or wagon, and the hunchback look takes some getting used to. But if 5-Series proportions with 7-Series rear-seat accommodations seems like a good idea to you, go for it; we’ll stick with the wagon version of the 5-Series.
Cargo space, which should be important if you’re seriously considering a hatchback, is rated at 440 litres with the back panels up. Ironically, the 5-Series sedan’s trunk offers more volume. Fold down the rear seats and the divider wall in the GT, however, and 1,700 litres of space is available, slightly more than in a 5-Series Touring.
The rear hatch is a clever design, as you can open it like a trunk or like a conventional hatchback that includes the rear glass portion. The idea is to be able to open the trunk without a draft down rear passengers’ necks, but the hatch and its mechanism is one of the reasons the car is so darn heavy.
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| Base price for the 550i GT is $79,600. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
For 2010, the 550i is the only version of the Gran Turismo you can get in North America, although a 300-horsepower 535i and xDrive are available for the 2011 model year. Base price is $79,600, which is actually a little less than a 2010 550i sedan.
Our test car includes the Executive Package ($4,000), the Sport Package ($2,500), the Multimedia Package ($3,500), the Integral Active Steering ($1,900) and a ski bag ($395), for a grand total of $91,895.
The 550i GT doesn’t have any real competition, which is normal when you create a new category of vehicles. Audi should launch its five-door A7 this year, though, and at Mercedes, the only vehicle that comes close is the R-Class, which is only available with 6-cylinder engines and doesn’t cost as much as the BMW.
So it’s different. But is there something in the Gran Turismo that’s unique, that’s better than what’s found elsewhere and that deserves some extra attention? It drives as well as any 5-Series sedan or wagon, and the hunchback look takes some getting used to. But if 5-Series proportions with 7-Series rear-seat accommodations seems like a good idea to you, go for it; we’ll stick with the wagon version of the 5-Series.
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