2012 BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 5 Series Gran Turismo, and includes BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

When BMW redesigned the 5 Series, the Gran Turismo was the first model out of the gate. It replaced the 5 Series station wagon with a five-door hatchback body combined with a taller ride height and more commanding driving position. Optional xDrive all-wheel drive makes the 5 Series Gran Turismo, or GT, something of a crossover SUV, but it is definitely more car-like than BMW’s other SUV offerings.

A new M Sport Package with Dynamic Damper Control, 20-way multi-contour front seats wrapped in Nappa leather, an M Sport steering wheel, unique interior and exterior trim, an aerodynamic body kit, and a higher top speed debuts for 2012. Otherwise, the 5 Series Gran Turismo carries forward into 2012 without modification.

BMW sells the 2012 5 Series Gran Turismo as the 535i and the more powerful 550i models, each available with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system.

Standard equipment includes Dakota leather upholstery, 10-way power front seats, rear seats that slide fore-and-aft and also recline, and a power tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel. Bluetooth hands-free connectivity is installed on every 5 Series GT, along with automatic climate control and a 12-speaker HiFi stereo with a CD/MP3 player, HD Radio, and an iPod/USB connection. Dark wood and ambient lighting grace the cabin, a panoramic sunroof lets in plenty of natural light, and the 535i GT has a Dynamic Cruise Control system, automatic Xenon adaptive headlights, and rain-sensing wiper. The standard wheel size measures 18 inches in diameter. If you get the 535i GT with xDrive, it also includes a hill descent control feature.

Moving up to the 550i GT nets more than just extra horsepower and torque. This model includes a standard navigation system with real-time traffic reports, as well as 20-way power multi-contour front seats, Nappa leather upholstery, a reversing camera, and a HomeLink universal remote.

There are several appealing option packages offered on the BMW 5 Series GT. A Cold Weather Package adds heated front and rear seats and a heated steering wheel, while the Convenience Package includes Comfort Assist keyless entry and ignition, a power tailgate and, on the 550i GT, power door close assist. The 535i GT can also be equipped with a Premium Package that adds navigation, HomeLink, and a reversing camera, while a Premium Sound Package upgrades the standard stereo with additional speakers, digital sound processing, and satellite radio.

The Driver Assistance Package includes several must-have safety features, including a Lane Departure Warning system and an Active Blind Spot Detection system. This package also includes Top and Side View Cameras, a head up display, and automatic high-beam headlights.

Two seating upgrades are available on the Gran Turismo. The Luxury Seat Package adds ventilated front seats with inflating side bolsters that activate when the 5 GT takes a corner, and a power rear sunshade. On the 535i GT, this package also includes 20-way power multi-contour front seats. A Luxury Rear Seating Package gives rear seat occupants two individually adjustable heated and ventilated captain’s-type chairs divided by a wide a center console, and includes a four-zone climate control system.

For 2012 there are also two Sport packages available. The standard Sport Package adds 19-inch alloy wheels, Dynamic Damping Control suspension, a sport steering wheel, Shadowline exterior trim, an Anthracite headliner, and a higher top speed. This package also adds 20-way power multi-contour front seats on the 535i GT. New for 2012 is the M Sport Package, which is basically the same thing with an aerodynamic body kit, an M Sport steering wheel, and other subtle modifications.

In addition to these extra-cost packages, the 5 Series Gran Turismo is available with Active Cruise Control with Forward Collision Warning, a rear seat entertainment system, BMW Apps technology, power rear side window sunshades, Nappa leather, ceramic cabin controls, and Night Vision with Pedestrian Detection.

A twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine is installed in the 535i GT, and it makes 300 horsepower between 5,800 and 6,250 rpm, and 300 pound-feet of torque from an astonishingly low 1,300 rpm all the way to 5,000 rpm. An eight-speed automatic transmission delivers the power to the rear wheels, and this model accelerates to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds. The 535i GT can be equipped with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system. Fuel economy ratings are 19-city/28-highway with rear-drive, and 18-city/27-highway with xDrive.

The BMW 550i GT has a twin-turbocharged, 4.4-liter V8 engine as its source of motivation. Horsepower peaks at 400 from 5,500 to 6,400 rpm, and this engine delivers 450 lb-ft of torque between 1,750 rpm and 4,500 rpm. The 550i GT has an eight-speed automatic that drives the rear or all four wheels, and acceleration to 60 mph improves to 5.4 seconds. The 550i GT’s added performance comes at the expense of fuel economy, with the rear-drive model getting 15-city/22-highway and the 550i GT xDrive achieving 15-city/19-highway.

Every 2012 BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo is equipped with six airbags, traction and stability control, and a reversing camera. The four-wheel ventilated-disc antilock braking system is particularly sophisticated, featuring Dynamic Brake Control, brake-fade compensation, brake drying, and brake standby technologies. BMW Assist telematics is also standard, and Automatic Collision Notifications service can help speed rescue after an airbag deployment.

An optional Driver Assistance Package adds safety-related features including automatic high-beam headlights, a heads-up display, Side and Top View Cameras, a Lane Departure Warning System, and Active Blind Spot Detection. Additional safety options include Night Vision with Pedestrian Detection and Active Cruise Control.

If all of this high-tech equipment fails to prevent a collision, take solace in knowing that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives the 2012 BMW 5 Series GT an overall safety rating of 5 Stars, including for resistance to rollover, and it just doesn’t get any better than that. The GT’s only 4-Star rating is given to the front passenger in the frontal crash category. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has not performed an assessment on the 5 Series Gran Turismo as this review is written.

When it comes to reliability, J.D. Power and Associates most recently predicted that the BMW 5 Series GT would return slightly better than average dependability over time. Consumer Reports had not rated this vehicle as this report was published.

The Gran Turismo might be called a 5 Series but it’s built mostly on a 7 Series platform.

Historically, a Gran Turismo moniker is bestowed upon a luxurious two-seat or 2+2 vehicle, but the 5 Series GT can seat five people.

The 5 Series Gran Turismo is a successor to the previous-generation 5 Series Wagon, but the GT is less accommodating of cargo due to its hatchback design. However, the Gran Turismo is equipped with a dual-opening trunk lid that you can use as a hatchback or as a standard trunk to access a maximum of 60 cubic-feet of space with the rear seats folded down.

To drive the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo is to understand the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo. This practical and flexible vehicle exhibits a broad spectrum of talent in a variety of ways, and even excels in several respects. Aesthetically, it might not please everyone, but we’re nevertheless impressed with the unusual 5 Series Gran Turismo’s combination of refinement, athleticism and practicality.

By Liz Kim and Christian Wardlaw