A unique blend of style, space, luxury and sportiness.
Woodcliff Lake, NJ - May 23 2009… The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo adds new facets to BMW’s Ultimate Driving Machine tradition and refines the concept of first-class travel. For the first time, attributes of an elegant sedan, a contemporary Sports Activity Vehicle and a classic Gran Turismo are masterfully melded into a single, harmonious vehicle concept.
The traditional European term Gran Turismo (Grand Touring) was first applied by Italian carmakers in the 1950s when they combined the performance, handling, and style of a 2-seat sport car with luxurious amenities and luggage room for each occupant. BMW’s new Gran Turismo nurtures this tradition in its own contemporary way, providing exceptional space, style, luxury, and comfort for four passengers1, plus the performance and driving pleasure of a BMW.
It does so with 21st-century performance. BMW’s wide-ranging EfficientDynamics initiative endows this new automobile with an outstanding balance between performance and efficiency. Thanks to its innovative twin turbo V-8 engine and 8-speed automatic transmission, the 550i Gran Turismo can accelerate from rest to 60 mph in just 5.4 seconds, yet delivers remarkable fuel efficiency in everyday driving.
Design: Abundant sportiness, elegance, luxury and versatility.
• Typical BMW proportions communicate dynamic character and sportiness.
• Long wheelbase and graceful, coupe-like roofline.
• An interior with contemporary design, generous dimensions and premium materials.
The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo radiates a unique blend of sportiness and stylish presence. Typical BMW proportions, four doors with frameless windows, and a coupe-like roofline combine into a harmonious, highly distinctive silhouette that visually represents this vehicle’s unusual blend of capabilities.
This vehicle’s visual presence is a captivating fusion of established BMW identity and new elements. Its elongated hood and long 120.7-inch wheelbase coalesce with a “greenhouse” set well aft and a fastback roofline into a profile that’s immediately recognizable as a BMW, yet at the same time communicates a new vehicle concept. From the first glance, it’s clear that this is an exceptionally roomy conveyance, yet also a highly dynamic one.
Inside the 5 Series Gran Turismo, users find generous dimensions, inspired contemporary design, and individualized luxury. Sweeping contours – such as those of the interior door panels – combine with elegant and premium-quality materials to create an ambiance that’s equally satisfying to front and rear occupants.
At the front: thoroughly modern, traditionally BMW.
The Gran Turismo’s frontal aspect has a marked forward thrust, with its traditional BMW “kidney grille” leaning slightly forward and emphasized by its separation from the flanking (also traditional) four round headlights.
BMW’s signature corona rings have taken on several functions: as parking lights, as an identifying element when the headlights are on, and as Daytime Running Lamps – this last with 100% of their lighting power, the other functions with just 10%. For the first time, on the Gran Turismo they employ LED technology.
In profile: frameless door windows and a new form of “Hofmeister Kink.”
The 5 Series Gran Turismo is also the first 4-door BMW to have frameless door windows – a feature BMW usually reserves for Coupes and Convertibles. These give an “open” look to side and angled views of the vehicle.
Over the years, another window detail has become a tradition: BMW’s so-called “Hofmeister Kink,” named after Wilhelm Hofmeister, who headed BMW design when this shape first appeared. On the Gran Turismo, it appears in “6-window” (3 windows per side) form in the rear quarter windows aft of the rear doors, framed in matte black plus chrome or optional high-gloss Shadowline black trim.
At the rear: aesthetically and functionally distinctive
Another BMW design tradition, in evidence since a new-generation 7 Series was introduced for 1988 is the freely interpreted L-shape of the rear lighting clusters. On the 5 Series Gran Turismo this theme is retained but newly interpreted LED lighting wraps far around the body sides and provides yet another recognizable BMW design cue. Together, these elements reinforce the impression of the Gran Turismo’s wide stance, which is further enhanced by strong horizontal lines spanning the bi-modal trunk and likewise tying in with character lines of the side profile.
Function, more even than the handsome aesthetics, is the main attraction of the 5 Series Gran Turismo’s interesting rear view. Below the rear window is a conventional, though shorter-than-usual, sedan trunklid that opens separately to reveal a fully enclosed trunk – sealed off from the passenger cabin by a movable partition that renders the interior as quiet as that of a sedan.
To take full advantage of the 5 Series Gran Turismo’s great cargo capacity, though, the liftgate – including the lower trunklid, rear window and an upper section reaching a few inches above the window – can also be opened. There are two releases, one for the trunklid alone, the other for the entire liftgate including trunklid.
Interior design: spacious luxury at its finest.
The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo interior combines space, luxury and stylish materials to create a premium ambiance. In the rear seats as well as up front, there’s a sense of generous space and comprehensive amenities, promoting relaxed and accommodating travel.
The outstanding feeling – and reality – of spaciousness is enhanced by design and materials. Dash and instrument panel lines are decidedly horizontal; door panels sweep dramatically and harmoniously from front to rear. Thanks to their frameless design, the door windows are larger than they would be with frames, adding to the openness of the remarkable cabin; the dual-panel panoramic moonroof, standard on the U.S. model, also contributes to these effects.
In standard form, the rear seating accommodates three passengers, with a 40-20-40 split of the backrest allowing for selective fold-down. In addition, the entire seat cushion can be adjusted 3.9-in. fore and aft and the individual backrest sections can be adjusted over a range of 15°-33°. Yet there’s more here than just adjustability: there’s also outstanding personal space, with legroom on the scale of BMW’s 7 Series Sedan and headroom comparable to the BMW X5 Sports Activity Vehicle. Indeed, first-class comfort is afforded all occupants of the Gran Turismo.
Optional as part of the Luxury Rear Seating Package are individual, multi-adjustable power seats, separated by a center console with cupholders and a storage compartment; here the backrest range is 15°-40° and even the fold-down function is powered. In addition to the power adjustments, a further attraction of this configuration is that it transforms the cabin into a sportier, strictly 4-seater configuration that some customers will prefer for its aesthetics, intimacy and greater luxury.
Accompanying the variable seating accommodations is variable cargo capacity, ranging from an already generous 15.5 cu ft. in the sedan-style enclosed trunk to fully 60.0 cu ft. (DIN rating) with folded rear seats and SAV-style long cargo floor. A variable partition between the trunk and passenger compartments provides occupants with sedan-type climate and noise insulation even when the trunk is being loaded, yet moves with the seats when they are adjusted and folds flat when the greatest capacity is needed.
Optimum outward view for the driver.
Thanks to its ideal front seat height, the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo driver and front passenger enjoy excellent outward visibility. For comparison, the Gran Turismo’s standard seat height from the ground is 22.6 in., vs. the previous-generation 7 Series’ 20.8 and the X3’s 26.6. In other words, the Gran Turismo seat is higher than the typical BMW sedan for easier access and an enhanced outward view, yet not so high as to require “climbing up.” Rear seating is also slightly higher than in BMW Sedan models.
As in all BMWs, thoughtfully researched ergonomics allow for optimum operation of driving controls and other functions. All displays, knobs and buttons serving comfort functions are situated centrally for use by the driver and front passengers; controls for the driver’s use only are to the left of the steering wheel, on or near the steering wheel, or on the front center console. The steering wheel has power tilt and telescopic adjustment and tilt-away for exit and entry; and of course both front seats come standard with 10-way power adjustment including head-restraint height.
Instrument panel in Black Panel technology.
Like so many aspects of the 5 Series Gran Turismo, its instrument cluster combines BMW tradition with advanced, beautiful new executions. Here the entire cluster is in a high-resolution Black Panel display, in which four classic circular instruments are most prominent; other driving-relevant displays and readouts – including Navigation if present, vehicle-monitoring functions, upcoming service requirements and other information – also appear here in their various (and function-related) graphic forms. Climate-control settings and controls are located in a second Black Panel display in the center console stack.
So it is that the advantages of mechanical and electronic displays are ideally combined with eye-catching visual and graphic effects. As the user enters the vehicle, the circular instruments’ “chrome rings,” until now open at the bottom, close and become brighter. Once the ignition is activated (by pressing the Start/Stop button), the numerals plus all other displays and warnings illuminate. As the engine starts, functions that have been previously activated by the driver are then revealed as well.
4th-generation iDrive: more user-friendly, more intuitive, faster.
With the 5 Series Gran Turismo, BMW’s all-new, 4th generation iDrive system appears in two versions: with 7.0-in. dimensions and 800 x 480-pixel resolution in standard form, or with the optional Navigation system, in a dazzling 10.2-in., 1280 x 480-pixel version with a wider range of features and functions as in the new BMW 7 Series. Displays are transreflective so that light from the sun actually enhances the images on the screen.
The instrument cluster interacts in new ways with the iDrive control display and the available Head-up Display. According to selected function, users can call up phone numbers or radio stations via the steering-wheel controls. The cluster display also augments iDrive’s optional Navigation display with road-realistic directional instructions, helping the driver with to change lanes or turn at a complicated intersection. If the optional Head-up Display is activated, the relevant directions appear there.
Materials and colors: enhancing the elegance.
The choices of colors and materials further enhance the impression of personal luxury and the interior’s interplay of lines and surfaces. For the dash’s finely grained upper section, there are two colors depending upon the chosen interior color. Dakota leather is standard, and available in six color schemes of which three are new; BMW’s luxurious Nappa leather is optional, and available in three color schemes.
Dark Burl Ash wood trim interior trim is standard, appearing in sweeping expanses on the dash, doors and front center console; Ash Anthracite (gray tone) and another distinctive wood called Fineline Matte are optional. As a special visual and tactile treat, ceramic trim is optional for the shift knob, iDrive controller surround, and audio and climate controls.
Powertrain. The essence of EfficientDynamics.
• Twin turbo V-8 engine delivers 400 hp and 5.4 second 0-60-mph time, plus silken refinement and impressive fuel efficiency considering the performance.
• New 8-speed automatic transmission contributes to performance and fuel efficiency.
With the 5 Series Gran Turismo, BMW lays the cornerstone for a new type of automobile – while also demonstrating BMW’s traditional mastery of an all-important aspect of automotive performance: the powertrain.
The Gran Turismo debut model is the 550i, powered by BMW’s stunning 4.4-liter, 400-hp twin turbocharged V-8 engine. Compared to BMW’s normally aspirated V-8, displacement is reduced from 4.8 to 4.4 liters, and incorporates twin turbochargers and High Precision direct injection. In quantitative terms, the new engine delivers 400 hp and does so over a range from 5500 to 6400 rpm. Maximum torque is 450 lb-ft., and available over the extremely broad range of 1800 to 4500 rpm. The result is greater power and torque delivered over a wide range of operating conditions with greater fuel efficiency. Aside from the dramatic thrust that drivers will notice subjectively, the objective data are dramatic too: 0-60 mph in just 5.4 seconds and a top speed when equipped with the Sport Package of 150 mph. For models equipped with all-season tires the maximum speed is limited to 130 mph.
Through its unique reverse-flow layout, the 550i’s V-8 engine is able to achieve even higher performance without correspondingly higher fuel consumption. In technical terms, the approach involves some very new design details. For the first time, twin turbochargers and the exhaust-cleansing catalytic converters are placed between the V-8’s two cylinder banks. In turn, this required the exhaust camshafts and valves to be inboard so that the path from cylinders to turbochargers (which are driven by exhaust gas) would be efficiently short. A key benefit of this layout is a more compact engine package. This is the reverse of a traditional V-8 layout, and opens a new era of V-8 engine development potential.
A key feature of the engine is BMW’s High Precision direct injection. Positioned centrally in the combustion chambers for optimum combustion, the injectors deliver fuel at very high pressures. To meet BMW’s ambitious performance/efficiency/emissions goals with the necessary long-term durability, a “stack” of piezo crystals reacts lightning-fast to impulses from the Digital Motor Electronics, governing the injector needle’s opening stroke and duration for ultra-precise control. This contributes 2-3% fuel savings and reduces emissions by 20%. The engine (also as featured in the new 7 Series and BMW X6) meets U.S. ULEV II (Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) limits. And High Precision direct injection contributes to the acoustic presence of the engine.
Playing a supporting role: innovative new 8-speed automatic transmission.
The 5 Series Gran Turismo’s innovative character is further supported by its all-new 8-speed automatic transmission, which brings smooth shifting, sportiness and efficiency to a new level of perfection. Compared to the exemplary 6-speed automatic offered in most current BMW models, the 8-speed’s “taller” cruising gears make a significant contribution to reduced fuel consumption and carbon-dioxide emissions as well as quietness. And its wider spread of ratios from lowest to highest gear enhances acceleration and response across the range of driving speeds.
Technically speaking, this new automatic’s attributes have been achieved via an innovative concept that provides the two additional ratios (7 and 8) with no increase in bulk or weight. In an arrangement not heretofore employed in an 8-speed automatic, four planetary gearsets and five clutch packs are controlled in a way that no more than two of the five clutch packs are freewheeling at any given time. The modest increase in the number of mechanical elements allows the new transmission to achieve unusually high efficiency: the so-called “gearing efficiency” is higher than 98% in all eight gears. In 6th gear, it’s highest of all because that is direct drive, with no gearing at all. Combine this with reduced friction and the ability to keep the torque converter “locked up” more of the total driving time, and you have a transmission that is very much a part of the 5 Series Gran Turismo’s overall efficiency concept.
Two additional gears mean threefold progress: quicker shifts, greater smoothness, enhanced efficiency.
The wider spread of ratios allows the engine to run at lower speeds, mainly in the “tallest” gear, 8th. Yet even with this wider spread, the steps between adjacent gears are reduced; in turn this means a stronger, smoother flow of power during acceleration.
And for the same reason, faster shifts are a further benefit because only one clutch pack is disengaged to shift up or down by one or two gears. On the other hand, downshifting more than two gears is accomplished as a direct shift. For example, a downshift from 8th to 2nd gear is made with only one clutch pack disengagement, and thus occurs without stepping down through the intermediate gears. Thus at one instant the driver can be enjoying the quiet, fuel-efficient low rpm of 8th gear, and in the next instant getting maximum acceleration.
Brake Energy Regeneration: an energy-saving innovation.
For the first time in a U.S. BMW model, the new 5 Series Gran Turismo is equipped with BMW’s Brake Energy Regeneration system.
To save energy and reduce the vehicle’s fuel consumption, this system controls the times at which the alternator charges the battery. Conventionally, a car’s alternator runs continuously and thus charging is always available to the battery; in the Gran Turismo, it charges only when the vehicle is decelerating or braking; otherwise, it freewheels, drawing virtually no power from the engine. An electronically controlled clutch, somewhat similar to that used with the air-conditioning compressor, is added to engage and disengage the alternator.
Accommodating the less frequent charging is a special, more powerful battery that can satisfy a contemporary vehicle’s high electrical demands without access to continuous charging. The battery uses a technology called “glass mat,” in which its internal plates are separated with saturated absorbent glass-boron silicate rather than the usual liquid electrolyte. This construction sharply reduces the battery’s conversion of charging energy to heat, and can provide the necessary electrical power for longer periods between charges.
Chassis engineering. State-of-the-art BMW capabilities, adjustable to suit personal tastes.
• Comfort, dynamics and precision – all promoted by the new combination of multi-link front and rear suspension systems.
• Driving Dynamics Control and self-leveling rear air suspension – standard.
• Adaptive Drive: optional Active Roll Stabilization and Dynamic Damping Control further refine the Gran Turismo’s amazing blend of handling dynamics and riding comfort.
True to BMW tradition, the new Gran Turismo exploits the creation of a new vehicle generation to advance the art of chassis technology and engineering. Improving both driving dynamics and riding comfort are always the core goals of the transition to a new BMW generation, and in these regards the Gran Turismo upholds the tradition brilliantly.
Just as the new engine combines sporting performance with luxurious refinement, all-around new suspension technology endows the Gran Turismo with uniquely agile handling for a luxury automobile, yet also an exceptional level of riding comfort. Beyond these “basics,” this new vehicle allows the driver to decide at any time what priority to assign to either of these attributes via Driving Dynamics Control.
Front suspension: a new multi-link system.
Until recently, all BMW front suspension systems since 19652 had been of the strut type, in which a long, essentially vertical strut carries the shock absorber and participates in the suspension geometry – that is, along with the lower arms it helps determine the angles wheels take as they move up and down. With the double-pivot lower arms of most current BMW Series, the strut concept has been taken to a high level of sophistication in handling, straight-ahead stability and riding comfort. However, time and progress never stop; BMW conceptualists and engineers continually seek even better solutions. So it was that when the 2nd-generation X5 made its debut in ’07, BMW introduced a type of front suspension that achieves even better results, particularly in a large, relatively heavy and very powerful vehicle.
Now this system has made its debut in the automobile side of BMW’s vehicle line, first in the new 7 Series for ’09 and now in the 5 Series Gran Turismo for 2010. In place of the strut, this new system has an upper lateral A-arm. The double-pivot lower arms are retained, so that on each side there are three links or arms. While the two lower arms preserve the double-pivot strut system’s advantages, the new upper arm facilitates the system’s handling and riding comfort by relieving the strut of its geometric duties.
Among the strengths of the double-pivot system are:
• Small positive steering offset, for best steering feel and control under all road conditions.
Though the two lower arms don’t actually intersect, if you visually extend their axes to a point where they would intersect, you find a “virtual pivot point” that is ideal for achieving this result. Steering offset is the “lever arm” through which road forces act on the suspension system.
• Large steering caster, for outstanding stability in straight-line driving and excellent steering return action coming out of curves.
• Space for large brakes, allowed by the arrangement of the two lower arms.