2011 BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo Overview Change Vehicle

This 2011 BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo overview explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2011 5 Series Gran Turismo, and includes BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo safety, reliability, and fuel economy information.

Last year, BMW introduced the all-new 5 Series Gran Turismo, so the only news to report for 2011 is that you can now get the 535i with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system.

So what makes the 5 Series Gran Turismo a gran turismo? Like most good stories it has a whole lot of twists and turns. For example, it’s called a 5 Series but it’s built mostly on a 7 Series platform. And the Gran Turismo moniker is usually bequeathed on a luxurious two-seat or 2+2 vehicle, but the 5 GT can seat five people. Most important, what separates the Gran Turismo from a 5 Series Sedan is that it’s a successor to the dearly departed 5 Series Wagon, only the GT is less spacious for cargo as it’s a hatchback. Got that? In any case, the 5 GT has a dual-opening trunk that you can use as a hatch or a standard trunk to access a maximum of 60 cubic feet of space with the rear seats folded down. Not as much as a standard wagon, but not possible in a sedan.

The 2011 BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo comes in two flavors: the 535i and the 550i. Standard on the 535i are 18-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, adaptive headlamps, and parking sensors for the front and rear. Inside you’ll find such comfort features as leather upholstery, 10-way adjustable front seats with a power adjustable steering wheel, Bluetooth, a 12-speaker audio system, and rear seats that slide and recline. Step up to the 550i and receive a voice-activated navigation system.

But the real fun comes in the myriad options with which you can outfit your 5 GT. Let’s start with the packages. A Cold Weather Package keeps yours and all of your passengers’ tootsies warm, while the Convenience Package makes the chore of closing the door and hatch easier with power assist. The Driver Assistance Package automatically turns on the high beams, and warns you when you have something in your blind spot or are veering from your lane. For those who are truly paranoid about dinging their BMW in the parking lot, there’s the Camera Package, which pretty much gives you eyes at each corner of the car as well as around the car’s perimeter to knit together an aerial image of your car and surroundings that is displayed on the screen in the dashboard while parking.

And then there are the customers for whom the 5 Series GT must offer the utmost in comfort. You can get the Active Ventilated Seat Package, which gives front seat passengers cooled or heated bottoms, 20-way power adjustment, air bladders that inflate according to the direction the car is being turned, and a massage function. A Luxury Rear Seating Package gives rear seat occupants two individually adjustable captain’s-type chairs with cooling and heating functions, divided by a wide a center console, and including a four-zone climate control system. Just in case 12 speakers isn’t enough to bump along to your Offenbach, a Premium Sound Package gives you four extra speakers. In terms of performance enhancements, there’s the Dynamic Handling Package that adjusts shock absorbers and stabilizer bars to adjust to your driving habits, and the Sport Package, which is a bit of a misnomer since it’s mostly cosmetic and comfort enhancements with the exception of 19-inch wheels with run-flat tires.

You can, however, opt for four-wheel active steering and all-wheel drive as stand-alone options, along with additional features like active cruise control, a heads-up display, a rear seat entertainment system, and night vision with pedestrian detection.

Powering the 2011 BMW 535i GT is a 300-horsepower, turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine, while the 550i makes do with a twin-turbo V8 frothing at the bit with 400 hp. Both engines send power to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission, but you can opt for xDrive all-wheel drive for enhanced traction in slippery conditions on both the 535i or the 550i. Opting for the rear wheel drive 535i GT will get you 20 city mpg/30 highway mpg, while xDrive will use 19 city/27 highway mpg. The V8 is obviously thirstier, returning 15 city mpg/22 highway mpg in both rear- or all-wheel drive configurations.

Standard safety features on the 2011 BMW 5 Series GT include stability control, antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, a reversing camera, and dual front, dual front-seat side, and dual side curtain airbags. Safety-related options include a heads-up display, night vision with pedestrian detection, active cruise control, and a Driver Assistance Package that alerts you when you have another vehicle in your blind spot or are drifting out of your lane. The Camera Package uses strategically placed cameras around the car to help keep you from unintentionally bumping cars or people while maneuvering in tight quarters.

Impressively, even with its new, more rigorous testing procedures, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives the 2011 BMW 5 Series GT a perfect overall safety rating of 5 Stars, with the car’s only 4-Star rating given in the frontal crash category. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has yet to test the 5 GT.

J.D. Power and Associates predicts the 2011 BMW 5 Series GT will provide slightly above average dependability over time, while Consumer Reports has yet to rate the vehicle.

Driving the 550i Gran Turismo is a different experience from other BMWs. The car feels more artificial and less connected, but is nevertheless terrific to drive. You sit up high, with a great view over the hood. The twin-turbo V8 engine produces effortless speed, and effortlessly eclipses the triple-digit mark on the speedometer. Yet, when cruising on the highway or trundling around town, the car is calm, collected, and composed.

On a favorite back road the sizable 5 GT storms over the pavement with grace and athleticism, but as you approach the handling limits the car’s significant weight and taller center of gravity (compared to a 5 Series Sedan) definitely let you know things could get ugly if you don’t back off the throttle. Our test car included the Dynamic Handling Package with four suspension settings: Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Sport+. We preferred Sport under all circumstances.

As for the Gran Turismo’s comfort levels, our test car was sublime. The taller ride height makes entry and exit a breeze, which is great for middle-aged knees and backs, and a panoramic sunroof bathes the cabin in natural light. Our test car was equipped with the Luxury Rear Seating Package, which includes two multi-adjustable rear bucket seats separated by a wide console, a four-zone automatic climate control system, and rear window sunshades; with this option, you might prefer to ride in the back rather than drive, especially if the car is equipped with the available rear seat entertainment system. But then you would be missing out on the gorgeous matte-finish wood trim, quality switchgear, dramatically improved iDrive, and all that power under your right foot.

Finally, we must address the design, which has taken plenty of criticism. Photos and brief encounters with the 5 Series GT don’t do the car justice. Neither do its standard 18-inch wheels and chrome greenhouse trim. This car looks so much better with the Sport Package, which comes with 20-inch wheels that fill the swollen fenders and a Shadowline trim treatment that eliminates the glitzy window accents. So, equipped, this is a much better looking, and better balanced, BMW. And since we’re big fans of hatchbacks, we love the added utility that the 5 GT brings to the table.

Neither fish nor fowl, the 2011 BMW 5 Series GT exhibits broad talent in a variety of ways. It even excels in a few choice aspects that we like to have in a car. While it might not please everyone aesthetically, we’re impressed with the combination of refinement, athleticism and practically offered by this unusual vehicle.

By Liz Kim and Christian Wardlaw