It must be special to be one of a kind.
It all started with the 5-series GT, a strange car which couldn't be categorized really.
It wasn't a crossover, it wasn't a SUV, it wasn't a MPV, so what was it?
So it's a strange sort of car. BMW clearly didn't aspire to build a semi-SUV.
Instead, they wanted it to be a very luxury limousine. It was all about the additive space in the back and comfort.
It was on the same platform as the 7-series, even though it was called 5 GT.
The 3 GT that followed, was more of a crossover. Nothing like the 5 GT.
It couldn't be categorized. In America, it was used to fill the gap of the 5-series Touring,
because they don't like station wagons in the States. That didn't really work out,
but clearly the success was big enough to spawn a successor.
In a slightly different form however, because it's no longer a 5 GT but a 6 GT.
Why? BMW though it wasn't clear enough that the 5 GT...
was positioned above the normal 5-series when it came to price, luxury and comfort levels.
They thought that problem would be resolved by renaming it to 6.
If you look at the total picture, there's more resemblance.
It's not like the previous one anymore, but it looks more like the 3 GT. A big one, that is.
That concept seems to have been more succesful, because you see them more often than the 5 GT.
So what's different? It's two centimetres lower,
and almost nine centimetres longer than its predecessor.
That makes the car look a lot less heavy.
So what's the result? More room, and a lot of it.
If we start with that right away, you'll directly notice we've got a fifth door.
No separate bootlid like the 5 GT had, so the passengers would remain warm.
The boot is a lot bigger now. 650 litres, 150 litres more than its predecessor.
And that's a lot. If I fold down the seats,
and you put everything down, you go to 1800 litres. That's also 100 litres more than the predecessor.
The multifunctionality has increased, even though the predecessor featured a lot of multifunctionality as well.
It's the same story in the rear...
Let's take a look back here. Right now, I'm behind myself.
Lots of room. It's almost like a Skoda Superb,
not just quite but it's spacious enough. Headroom then...
It's got a sloped roof, but my head doesn't even touch the roof.
It's a luxury problem though. These cushions are just from the 7-series.
You can feel that...
Rear passengers have their own climate control, that's nice as well.
This could be... It's okay, but it feels kind of simple for this segment.
What's funny is that you see the same level of finishing as in the regular 5-series, even as low as here.
That's an indication that the GT is positioned higher than the normal one.
There's a small gap between my legs and the chair, because of the higher floor.
Funny enough I didn't have that in the X3. It isn't particularly annoying though,
my feet still fit beneath the seats.
In the front, there are a lot of new features relative to its predecessor.
On the other hand, it looks very familiar if you know the new 5- and 7-series.
Better yet, there ought to be small differences, but if you put me in both cars I don't think I'll immediately see the differences.
What's great in this BMW are the ergonomics. The i-Drive works perfectly,
the driving modes Sport, Comfort and Eco Pro work fine, especially the Adaptive mode works really good.
One of the advantages is the touchscreen in front of you, which you can operate by gestures.
It all works so smoothly and fast in a BMW, and that contributes to the great ergonomics.
The materials used are a lot better than the ones used in the normal 5-series, especially in the lower regions.
I already mentioned it in the back, but what I also mentioned;
take a Q7 on this same level, and you can bet that's quite the level,
it just looks a tad better than the BMW.
The same goes for an E-Class.
BMW strikes back with the ergonomics. When it comes to options,
you can go all the way. There's a lot to connect with with your phone,
You can do a lot of things from a distance, and how about the key?
It's the same as with the 7- and the 5-series. You've got a complete board computer at your disposal.
You can even the operate the climate control, or see how much fuel it's got left.
Also, you can remotely control the car.
So let's conduct a little test shall we? It's supposed to stop automatically when you're about to hit a wall,
but what's it like if you reach a cliff? Let's try with our director of photography...
It didn't seem to be stopping, so I took matters in my own hands.
The good news however, is that it all feels perfect in here.
And that's something BMW always masters. If you're driving a X5 or a 7-series or in the 5 GT,
it feels the same as in a 3-series. The seating position is great, the steering wheel is in the perfect position,
it just remains a drivers car. No matter how big it is.
BMW really stays loyal to its principles.
When you're driving... I'm gonna limit this story by the way,
I'm only going to mention what stands out. I mean we've already driven the 7-series and 5-series,
so the technical innovations and safety features... We already know they're good right?
The same goes for the drivetrain. It's a turbocharged straight-six, 3.0-litres,
340 horsepower in this case, 8-speed automatic gearbox, should we discuss that anymore?
Just like every other BMW, it all works extremely smooth.
The only thing that stood out, was the drive.
The car has become bigger, so you expect a kind of heavy heaving car.
But when you're driving, the first thing that stands out is the comfort.
It's got air suspension, so it just floats over hard bumps and imperfections,
no problems at all. It's really quiet,
so you can notice how isolated it really is. It's all contributing to the level of comfort.
You've got the space in the back as well, so it's all fine.
But then, you encounter twisty roads.
And even in "Comfort"-mode, you can feel how good the balance is in the car.
You steer into the corner, you expect the butt tailing the rest of the car whilst heaving heavily.
Something you'd have to catch, but that isn't the case.
It's being helped by the four-wheel steering, which makes the car feel more compact,
it's being helped by a very good front suspension, which makes sure you don't suffer from any drivetrain reactions in your steering wheel,
because it's an xDrive, when you're driving. It's all so smooth,
you just feel a lot of neutrality in the car, and that's what makes driving this car great.
If you put it in "Sport"-mode, the air suspension turns harder,
you notice it doesn't heave as much, the steering wheel becomes a lot more direct,
that's what makes dynamic driving fun, especially in a car like this.
Of course this car isn't meant to drive like that, we don't have to go sideways or push it to the limit.
But how nice would it be if you'd be able to corner at moderately high speeds, on a road which lasts 40 kilometres?
In the Netherlands we might not have roads like that, but you might have to go inland for long distances in other countries.
That's when it's nice if the car doesn't push through, if the car doesn't feel heavy,
that you feel that you're in control as a driver.
And this car with this amount of luxury... It's definite proof that BMW is the only company...
they're the only one who can combine that luxury with these dynamics, and with this balance in the car.
I really think they've done a great job, and I think that because this car is so different compared to its rivals,
that's why this car isn't good, but sublime.