This new BMW 5-series GT is a hard car to pigeon hole. Even trickier to get the measure of than the genre-busting X6 - and that's no mean feat. So let's get this right: it's big, because some drivers want SUV-like visibility without the exterior size. The GT is smaller than the X5 but offers the same level of interior headroom. It's also spacious, with a large boot and hatch, because, says BMW, drivers want the space of an estate car but find that an estate shouts 'family man' a bit too loudly. In addition to all of this it's luxurious, because some want the luxury of 7-series but don't want to be seen in a large limo in crunchy economic times.
This is what you'll be told if you read through the reasons given by BMW for creating the GT and, on paper at least, that theory stands up. In the metal, however, what you get is a large odd-looking hatchback that's too well finished to put the dog in, yet isn't stately enough to be a limo. Is this, perhaps, a niche too far?
Once inside you cannot deny that the 5-series GT is a luxurious car with a beautiful dashboard that is familiar yet forward-looking, and hints at the forthcoming 5-series proper. The layout is minimalistic, with the iDrive controlling the majority of functions, but the way in which the dials are lit and the materials used leaves you in no doubt that BMW wants the GT to appeal to 7-series drivers who are used to the best money can buy.
The seats are equally pleasant to look at, but personally I found them rather uncomfortable and never did find the right seating position, despite having numerous electronic controls at my disposal. The rear seats are spacious, offer electronic adjustment including fore and aft by 100mm, separate climate controls and sunblinds on the rear and side windows.
The car we were given had the rather odd twin rear seat option. While this gives you a spacious centre console and individual adjustment you have to wonder why you would specify it this way. You buy a hatchback to be versatile and I just can't see anyone putting their kids in here.
Continuing with the practicalities, the GT does have a rather large boot and offers the choice of opening a small bootlid or a full tailgate. I am told that this unusual dual tailgate is there because European luxury car customers prefer not to have a cold draught around their neck when the driver loads the luggage.
We tested the turbocharged 535i GT, which produces 302bhp and 295lb ft of torque, gives a top speed of 155mph and covers 0-62mph in 6.3secs. All GT models are fitted with a new eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard, and the first thing you note is that there aren't any 'paddles' to manually change the gears. There is a 'manual' function on the gear selector, but this is the first hint that the GT isn't a car with obvious sporting intentions.
Nevertheless, you can select a variety of suspension and transmission settings using the optional Adaptive Drive, which offers a comfort setting for supple wafting in addition to the standard settings of Normal, Sport and Sport +. Normal is intended to offer a good daily compromise of ride and handling. Sport sharpens up the suspension and makes the gearbox more responsive and Sport + removes some of the electronic aids too.
Naturally I select Sport + and head off. It's brisk enough, and sounds pleasant. Reaching the twisty sections I take the first corner at a decent, but not ridiculous, pace and I am a little caught-out as the car runs wider than I was expecting, using up a good majority of the road. I adjust my speed accordingly for the next few miles thinking that, while it handles well for its size, it doesn't handle like a BMW should do.
Whereas we can forgive the sheer size of a car like the X6 because it handles better than it should do, the 5-series GT offers merely adequate handling, and that's a shame. The sheer size of the car isn't hidden from the driver as it is in other BMWs.
Away from the B-roads, the 5-series GT finds its comfort zone, settling into an 80mph cruise in near-silence (bar a wind whistle from the A-pillar which is small but irritating). A fantastic audio system, great headlights, and beautiful interior lighting means the 5-series GT lends itself to relaxed cruising, even if the seats never allowed me to get too comfy, leading to mild back ache.
I'm now in 'normal' mode and the eight-speed 'box can get a little confused here as it seems to be spoilt for a choice of ratios. You can almost hear it thinking 'does the driver want me to go down one or two ratios here?' 'Maybe he wants three?' 'What if I just stay in top?' by the time it has decided, the car that you wanted to overtake has started to make ground on you and you need to catch up. Best to leave it in sport mode if you want to rely on the auto alone.
After 1000 miles, I am left confused about the 5-series GT. There are elements that I love: the comfort, the space, the luxurious feel, and the fact that it could obviously eat whole continents at great speed. I also reckon it offers a great amount of passenger and luggage space and that the tailgate, while odd at first, does make sense on a cold day when the other half is already in the car.
It's well equipped with leather, panoramic sunroof, air conditioning, park distance control and metallic plate all as standard, but as tested this car costs £55,395 with over £11,000-worth of options fitted. The thing is, a regular 5-series would do an equally good job for 90 per cent of the time, especially with the new model just around the corner. If you need space, it's hard to beat a 5-series Touring, after all. And that at least handles in a manner that you would expect from a BMW. If, on the other hand, you want a high driving position, there is a whole host of BMW X models to choose from. That's if you are insistent on choosing a BMW in the first place. If not, the list of alternative vehicles that could do an equally good - or better - job than the 5-series GT begins to get rather long.
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