BMW 535i GT Review and Road Test
To understand the BMW 535i GT, one must throw away several preconceived notions about cars and SUVs, including ride height, interior room, and handling.
One of the reasons that the GT may be confusing to some car enthusiasts is that it has a 5er Series designation, the driving position of an X5, the interior room of an extended-wheelbase 7er, and the driving dynamics of a 5er Sedan.
Indeed, the GT is built on the same platform of the flagship 7er Series sedan. Its height (61.4”) and length (196.8”) are more car than SUV but the width (74.8”) and wheelbase (120”) say SUV.
While the GT looks high and indeed has a high driving position, getting into it does not require a ladder since it has a low floor, one that is marginally higher than the 7er.
Once inside, however, it has a roomy (think SUV) feel. If you enter through the rear door, however, you will be even more pleasantly surprised. The word capacious springs to mind.
A three-position rear bench seat that slides and reclines is standard and extraordinarily comfortable; optional rear bucket seats are electrically controlled with a substantial center console in between them. A supersized panoramic sunroof provides front and rear passengers with a wonderful view and much sunlight.
And then there’s the trunk, which also challenges preconceived notions. Depending on how you open it, it (more or less) provides the space of a traditional trunk or – if you open the hatch, the world (or the back of the GT) is your oyster with 63 cubic feet available with the rear seats folded down (and a generous 20 cubic feet of storage space with the seats up, a third bigger than that of the 5er Series sedan).
Click here to continue to page 2 – Driving the 535i GT
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