In the grand scheme of things, I’d rather have the 550i GT than an X5, but would I take it over an F10 5er? No.

As Brookside points out, this is a car with a high H-point, geared to ease ingress and egress of the AARP crowd. But while it is ‘OK’ dynamically, they should have found some other alphabet soup creation other than GT to tag this as.

As to the Aztek comparison. The Aztek was fundamentally bad on so many levels. I was at SEMA a few years back and a supplier, Decoma, had re-styled the Jeep CJ-esque features of the Aztek. It almost was palatble. At one point I watched Bob Lutz, with a number of GM execs in tow, descend on itto point out what could have been. (The Aztek is one of two cars I’ve had for test drives that my wife has actually refused to be seen in. ; -)

But back (almost) to the subject at hand. Why hasn’t Lexus created a full-up-lux Sienna? The minivan is the perfect transporter for folks that don’t care about driving, and put one in the near luxury lineup and you could probably sell as many as 5er GTs. But please, BMW, do not, repeat, DO NOT, build a minivan. ; -)

Are you enjoying your 3 series? Would you ever consider a bigger BMW, like a five series?

My fav Beemer (before the GT) was the Seven, I really love big cars. But the practicality of the GT really attracts me. Sometimes I need to haul big equipment around and in a sedan that would never work. So, for me personally, the GT is the way to go.

Also, I find the GT very beautifull. Nothing about it detracts – so, maybe I am just a cheerleader, but then with a passion:)

No hard feelings!

Also, the new niche will have plenty of followers and the more competition, the more we can expect in the future in the same segment.

http://downsideupdesign.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/skoda_superb_twindoor.jpg

I suspect you won’t see these at a lot of track days though. ; -)

For whatever reason, after considering “RFK”, “FAV”, and “V”, they settled on “GT”. Presumably, calling it the “Y” — to go along with the X & Z Series — would have some calling it the “WHY? Series”. :-O

From Column: “The trick to making a big vehicle a GT is to deliver similar driving performance that its smaller siblings enjoy.” Not only does it fail at that, but against its bigger siblings as well. It weighs nearly 400lbs more than the co-developed F01 7 Series; with all of it just where you don’t want it – up high & aft of rear axle. Consequently, as BIMMER said in their February 2010 Cover Story: “Unfortunately, the vehicle has also broken new ground by being distinctly disappointing, as a BMW.”

Therefore, we shouldn’t be easily fooled by the mktg hype about it being a ‘GT’.

It is, however, an exciting new niche for BMW. Good companies exploit niches. Better companies are the first to exploit niches. Best companies — like BMW AG — create new niches, to their own advantage(s). BMW is giving a certian segment of the marketplace something they want, before those customers even knew what they wanted. The F07 is a luxury RWD SUV, er, SAV. The luxury interior cabin of a 7 Series; an intermediate driving position; the utility of an E71, without being it being an empty box like the E70 when not hauling cargo; and, the approximate RWD dynamics of a 5 Series Touring, without the ‘family’ reference. In the US, where the 5er Touring only sells in the hundreds, the GT’s success seems almost assured. Clever!

I can not think of a better companion for such a trip!