The Concept of BMW's New Vehicle: A Break from Tradition

BMW has always been traditionally about driving, with its rear-wheel drive and dynamic weight distribution being key features that set it apart from other vehicles. However, for this new vehicle, BMW wanted to challenge that notion and create a car that not only meets the needs of customers who want to drive sportily, but also caters to those who prioritize daily use and extra functions such as trunk space. By starting with a blank slate and asking how people really like to drive and use their cars, BMW was able to create a vehicle that encapsulates the concept of "huge interior space" and is essentially an extension of the 5 Series Gran Turismo.

The Name: A Reflection of Luxury and Lifestyle

The name "Gran Turismo" speaks for itself - it's about driving in style. The idea behind this car is not just about crossing over between different categories, but rather creating a unique experience that combines the best of both worlds. BMW has always been known for its luxurious interior, and with this new vehicle, they're taking it to a whole new level. The name "Gran Turismo" is more than just a marketing ploy; it's a reflection of the car's aesthetic and lifestyle. It's about being treated well, not just inside the car, but also outside.

Designing for Daily Use

One of the key features that sets this car apart from other BMWs is its focus on daily use. The interior space is designed to be usable every day, with a focus on functionality rather than form. The trunk area is one of the largest in its class, and the boot opens up with a large access space underneath. But what's truly clever is the way it can be configured to suit different needs. For instance, the small boot can be opened and closed separately from the main compartment, providing easy access to luggage.

A Seat for Comfort

The driving position of this car is designed to provide a sense of comfort and command. The seat is higher than that of the 5 Series, but lower than that of the X5, creating a unique perspective behind the wheel. The dashboard is spacious and unobstructed, with a large windshield and plenty of glass throughout the interior. This design choice provides an expansive view of the road ahead, making it feel like there's more space to breathe.

A New Definition of Luxury

This car marks a new definition of luxury in the automotive world. Gone are the days of traditional limousines; instead, BMW has created a vehicle that combines the best of both worlds. It's not just about driving, but also about being comfortable and pampered inside the car. The attention to detail is unparalleled, with clever features like the semic-command driving position and adjustable shelf sections. This car is an extension of the luxurious lifestyle that BMW is known for, but in a more accessible and practical form.

Success or Failure?

The question on everyone's mind is whether this car will be successful. Will it appeal to customers who are looking for something new and different? Will it cater to those who want a daily driver with all the bells and whistles? Or will it simply become another niche product that fails to gain traction in the market? BMW is confident that its unique approach will pay off, but only time will tell. For now, the focus is on getting the market positioning right and pricing it competitively. If they can achieve that, this car has a chance to succeed. But for those looking at the UK market, sales are likely to be limited to around 2,000 vehicles per year.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enBMW has done some well interesting cars in the last 10 years the X6 the 7 Series even the Five series are guaranteed to provoke a reaction if only for the way they look rather than if they're actually any good and now they're about to do it again meet the 5 series Grand Turismo a giant estate limo that BMW says is a genuinely new type of car even the language B W is using to describe this car is different to what you'd expect this press release which describes the Fire series GT is full of words like comfortable well-being slightly elevated driving position and apparently the Panorama roof provides a particularly Pleasant travel experience hardly the sort of language you'd expect from a car company that's founded its reputation and provided Dynamic exciting rear wheeel drive cars that offer real driving excitement this is more like a nice cup of tea and a sit down there's only one way to find out what's going on talked to Adrien van Hoon the man who designed it unfortunately he's in New York so we'll talk to the man who until last week was in charge of BMW design Mr Chris bangle Chris bangle you were the design boss of the BMW group adan's not here so what exactly is this car about well it's about putting the customer first which we always do in our hearts and we really you know like customers who like to drive sportily but turns out that there's a lot of customers out there who maybe haven't found a BMW they like because have other needs that have to be listened to needs about what's a daily use of it some extra functions how come I have to sacrifice leg room if I want to have more trunk room and vice versa so with this vehicle probably unlike any other car we ever started with we didn't have a preconceived notion what it would be and then just kind of modify until you find out what you want we really started with asking how do people really like to drive how they really use their cars and then around that we made basically encapsulated the idea of huge interior space it is the concept 5 series gr Turismo I mean just think of that name Gran Turismo this is about driving in style there's nothing here about crossing over this with crossing over that or giving it three letter names or anything it's really about what is the Aesthetics of a of a lifestyle which is about first Class come on First Class you expect to be treated well but you don't expect to be treated well inside of a box right you expect to have a little bit of a of an experience inside and outside the car and to get that here that's that's quite a hatrick BMW has always been traditionally about driving it's a driving machine it's rear wheeel drive the dynamic the weight distribution is very important the customers the people that are buying this car are they less interested in that do you think than another BMW customer well let's put it this way they're buying a BMW and they expect the best right so ultimate driving machine what I'm going to have not the ultimate Drive I don't think so right they definitely want that but they also understand that they want a car that they can use every day and so for instance this car has got one of the best proportion of the wheelbase length for the size of the car and that makes the car very agile in that sense and at the same time it's using components that we've developed on our vehicles we have before so we really know how they work and it wouldn't be a BMW unless those Engineers who drive it on the racetrack sign it off this is the big trunk area you see the entire thing opens up here it has a large access space in it um this can go down underneath here now we're going to open the small boot there's two levers under here this one's on this side the small boot now okay that's plenty of room to get the luggage in and out yeah I mean it's the same space as before and now you can get it out over this but you'll notice it's entirely sealed off from the interior compartment just like it would be in a lum Z but we wanted to go beyond just the limousine we wanted to give you that first class seating experience and we wanted to do it without adding on to it all the extra cost of a really long stretch limousine so suddenly you're in a different price category and suddenly you're a different image category I think this vehicle probably will have a great success because it doesn't fit in any of those pigeon holes inside this car we've got what is called a semic command driving position have I got that right right because as I said you sit about this much higher than a five series and you sit about that much lower than you would in an X5 you feel you're really in a command type of environment here but you don't have a whole lot of car to deal with the car is actually quite compati you see there's a lot of glass in here um and also the windshield is not that R back it it's not as flat as you you could possibly imagine and in fact the uh the shoulder line on the outside does give you a certain amount of view outside you don't feel like you're too squished in when you look down at an instrument panel like you are doing here this is what changes your impression of am I in an X vehicle or am I in a limousine and so this is a whole new definition if you actually look at how the Shelf section works here we've never had a car like that before so is this car the automotive equivalent of a warm cup of tley and a soggy digestive biscuit no I think there's more to it than that it's got some very very clever features and if they can get the market positioning right and the price right it's probably going to sell quite well not in the UK though you're only going to see around 2,000 of them sold there a year but they really need this car to sell in America and across Continental Europe it has got some chance definitely but it's just will people really understand what it actually isBMW has done some well interesting cars in the last 10 years the X6 the 7 Series even the Five series are guaranteed to provoke a reaction if only for the way they look rather than if they're actually any good and now they're about to do it again meet the 5 series Grand Turismo a giant estate limo that BMW says is a genuinely new type of car even the language B W is using to describe this car is different to what you'd expect this press release which describes the Fire series GT is full of words like comfortable well-being slightly elevated driving position and apparently the Panorama roof provides a particularly Pleasant travel experience hardly the sort of language you'd expect from a car company that's founded its reputation and provided Dynamic exciting rear wheeel drive cars that offer real driving excitement this is more like a nice cup of tea and a sit down there's only one way to find out what's going on talked to Adrien van Hoon the man who designed it unfortunately he's in New York so we'll talk to the man who until last week was in charge of BMW design Mr Chris bangle Chris bangle you were the design boss of the BMW group adan's not here so what exactly is this car about well it's about putting the customer first which we always do in our hearts and we really you know like customers who like to drive sportily but turns out that there's a lot of customers out there who maybe haven't found a BMW they like because have other needs that have to be listened to needs about what's a daily use of it some extra functions how come I have to sacrifice leg room if I want to have more trunk room and vice versa so with this vehicle probably unlike any other car we ever started with we didn't have a preconceived notion what it would be and then just kind of modify until you find out what you want we really started with asking how do people really like to drive how they really use their cars and then around that we made basically encapsulated the idea of huge interior space it is the concept 5 series gr Turismo I mean just think of that name Gran Turismo this is about driving in style there's nothing here about crossing over this with crossing over that or giving it three letter names or anything it's really about what is the Aesthetics of a of a lifestyle which is about first Class come on First Class you expect to be treated well but you don't expect to be treated well inside of a box right you expect to have a little bit of a of an experience inside and outside the car and to get that here that's that's quite a hatrick BMW has always been traditionally about driving it's a driving machine it's rear wheeel drive the dynamic the weight distribution is very important the customers the people that are buying this car are they less interested in that do you think than another BMW customer well let's put it this way they're buying a BMW and they expect the best right so ultimate driving machine what I'm going to have not the ultimate Drive I don't think so right they definitely want that but they also understand that they want a car that they can use every day and so for instance this car has got one of the best proportion of the wheelbase length for the size of the car and that makes the car very agile in that sense and at the same time it's using components that we've developed on our vehicles we have before so we really know how they work and it wouldn't be a BMW unless those Engineers who drive it on the racetrack sign it off this is the big trunk area you see the entire thing opens up here it has a large access space in it um this can go down underneath here now we're going to open the small boot there's two levers under here this one's on this side the small boot now okay that's plenty of room to get the luggage in and out yeah I mean it's the same space as before and now you can get it out over this but you'll notice it's entirely sealed off from the interior compartment just like it would be in a lum Z but we wanted to go beyond just the limousine we wanted to give you that first class seating experience and we wanted to do it without adding on to it all the extra cost of a really long stretch limousine so suddenly you're in a different price category and suddenly you're a different image category I think this vehicle probably will have a great success because it doesn't fit in any of those pigeon holes inside this car we've got what is called a semic command driving position have I got that right right because as I said you sit about this much higher than a five series and you sit about that much lower than you would in an X5 you feel you're really in a command type of environment here but you don't have a whole lot of car to deal with the car is actually quite compati you see there's a lot of glass in here um and also the windshield is not that R back it it's not as flat as you you could possibly imagine and in fact the uh the shoulder line on the outside does give you a certain amount of view outside you don't feel like you're too squished in when you look down at an instrument panel like you are doing here this is what changes your impression of am I in an X vehicle or am I in a limousine and so this is a whole new definition if you actually look at how the Shelf section works here we've never had a car like that before so is this car the automotive equivalent of a warm cup of tley and a soggy digestive biscuit no I think there's more to it than that it's got some very very clever features and if they can get the market positioning right and the price right it's probably going to sell quite well not in the UK though you're only going to see around 2,000 of them sold there a year but they really need this car to sell in America and across Continental Europe it has got some chance definitely but it's just will people really understand what it actually is\n"