The first embargo-busting pics of BMW’s new 5 series Gran Tursimo ‘Progressive Activity Sedan have hit the interwebs, showing for the first time the exterior andinterior of the handsome midsize sedan-slash-hatch.
The images, which appear to have been taken at some kind of press preview, give us a good look at BMW’s latest styling direction, the last to be influenced by outgoing design chief Chris Bangle. Our verdict? Well, it doesn’t look half bad, to be honest.
A bigger grille, big rims and a body that’s visually heavier than the regular 5 make the GT an altogether beefier offering, and one that should prove very popular in a prestige market where image is everything. The silhoutte is also slightly deceptive: don’t mistake this for your average 4-door “coupe” – the GT is a bona-fide hatchback.
It’s an interesting take on a hatchback too. Not only is the GT a fairly sizable family car, but the hatch itself combines the positive virtues of both a traditional boot and a hatchback. The whole assembly operates like a regular hatch, however the press of a button opens up the hinged lower portion while leaving the rear glass shut (below). Handy for when you just want to throw a couple of bags in the back.
The sheetmetal is also tauter and more heavily contoured than that of the cooking-model 5. The GT’s bonnet creases are more scultpural and more defined, while BMW’s characteristic character line along the flanks of the car is more pronounced than ever.It’s not quite as sleek as its non-SUV stablemates, but the tall stance of the GT is meant to bridge the gap between sedan and crossover wagon.
The cabin is classic BMW and aside from swathes of white leather and some organic-looking inserts on the seats, it should be familiar to anyone who’s driven a modern BMW before.
