| BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo | ||
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(Fri 22 May 09) BMW has confirmed most of the details of the new 5-Series Gran Turismo, which will on sale in the UK in October this year.
The Gran Turismo has a coupé-like shape but is the longest, tallest and widest car in the 5-Series range. One of its most unusual features is a rear opening which, in a similar way to that of the Skoda Superb, can act like either the boot of a saloon car or the tailgate of a hatchback. Luggage volume ranges from 440 litres with all the seats in place to 1700 litres with the rear seats folded. This last figure is the second highest in the entire BMW range, beaten only by that of the X5, and when the sliding rear seats are set to their furthest-back position the Gran Turismo has the same amount of legroom as a 7-Series. From launch, there will be three models, of which the most popular is expected to be the 530d GT with its three-litre turbo diesel engine. Although it's the slowest of the three, the 530d doesn't exactly hang about, with a top speed of 149mph and a 0-62mph time of 6.9 seconds, and it has by far the best combined fuel economy and CO2 emissions at 43.5mpg and 173g/km respectively. The mid-range 535i GT has a three-litre six-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine producing 306bhp, and above that comes the 550i GT, which has a 407bhp five-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 which gives a 0-62mph time of 5.5 seconds. Both the petrol cars are limited to 155mph, and like the diesel they are fitted as standard with eight-speed automatic transmission. Prices have yet to be confirmed but are expected to start at around £40,000 for the 530d GT. |
