BMW 5 Series LiftBack

MUNICH, Germany — BMW has revealed its controversial 5 Series Gran Turismo Liftback in official photos released ahead of the car's world premiere at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show. The new liftback, known up until now under its internal working title, Progressive Activity Sedan (PAS), is planned to join the BMW lineup later this year as part of an ambitious new program aimed at increasing sales to 2 million units worldwide by 2020.

Although the car to be revealed in Geneva is described as a concept, BMW sources who have worked on the production car suggest there will be little or no change before the 5 Series GT reaches European showrooms. "With no direct predecessor, it can't hurt to show it a little early," says freshly promoted BMW design boss Adrian van Hooydonk, the man behind the car's bold appearance.

To be priced between the 5 and 7 Series, the 5 Series GT will be pitched at customers seeking a raised seating position who may be uncomfortable with the idea or image of a conventional crossover SUV. At 196.7 inches in length and 61.2 inches in height, the 5 Series GT is 5.9 inches longer and 3.7 inches higher than the existing 5 Series sedan. Ease of entry, flexibility and roominess are parts of the BMW creed.

While the lower body is similar in shape and style to that of the new 7 Series, the roof line and the plunging rear hatch are very much influenced by the X6. Classic BMW styling elements include a bold kidney-shaped grille, a prominent swage line along the flanks and a Hofmeister kink within the leading edge of the C-pillar.

In what is fast establishing itself as a trend among European carmakers, BMW has provided the 5 Series GT with a complex two-stage tailgate that allows the trunk to be opened one of two ways. In the first, the vertical trailing edge of the tailgate hinges upward to reveal a rectangular opening. In the second, the complete tailgate (including the rear window) hinges, liftback style, to provide a much larger and more practical opening.

The production version of the 5 Series GT provides seating for up to five adults, although the car to be revealed in Geneva has four individual seats. The seats are elevated to a height comparable to seating in many midsize crossovers. "They're higher than in the 5 Series sedan but not quite to the level found in the X6," says van Hooydonk. However, a vertically set steering wheel and driver-centric dashboard is meant to convey traditional sporting values.

BMW claims there is sufficient legroom — and adjustability of the rear seats — for the GT to be used as a chauffeur-driven limousine. Because of the plunging roof line, no move has been made to equip it with a third row of seats as in the Mercedes-Benz R-Class. "That would have stretched the concept too far," BMW says.

Nominal trunk space is put at 15.2 cubic feet — 3.2 less than the more conventional 5 Series sedan — when the GT's sliding rear seats are set in their most rearward position. Adjusting them forward increases capacity by 20.1 cubic feet. The rear seats can be folded away, but they do not lie fully flat. In this configuration, trunk space is 58.2 cubic feet — the same as BMW quotes for the 5 Series wagon.

BMW has yet to release mechanical specifications. However, Inside Line has learned that the new GT rides on BMW's latest large-car platform, same as the new 7 Series, with unique wheelbase and track measurements aimed at maximizing interior space. A similar setup will be used by the sixth-generation 5 Series sedan, alongside which the 5 Series GT will be built at BMW's Dingolfing factory in Germany.

Standard models will come with rear-wheel drive. Plans exist for a limited number of four-wheel-drive models equipped with BMW's xDrive system to be added to the lineup later.

The new BMW model is set to go on sale with a range of inline six-cylinder and V8 engine options mated to either a six-speed manual or six speed automatic gearbox. Among the standard equipment will be fuel-saving features from BMW's EfficientDynamics portfolio, including automatic stop/start and brake energy regeneration.

Inside Line says: BMW gambles on a liftback 5 Series