Would you prefer the F10 wagon or the F10 GT?

[m3theman]

I was disappointed to hear that BMW won't be offering the F10 wagon here in the States. So if we like the F10 but also want more space, we are stuck with the GT. I don't know about you, but I personally prefer the F10 wagon if I wanted the extra luggage space. The F10 GT just looks weird and you don't know what it's supposed to be. It's not a SUV but it's also not a sedan, not even a crossover. Also, the GT's performance and handling isn't that great either compared to the F10 sedan/wagon. I recalled Bimmer magazine gave the GT a negative first review as it lacked BMW's traditional performance attributes. So what about you? If you need to haul more cargo, but also want to retain the performance of a bimmer, would you prefer a F10 wagon or the F10 GT?

[gary88]

Wagon by far. The 5GT is trying to be too many things at once.

[WolfStrong]

Not a fan of the GT either, but LOVE the wagon!

[JDS]

Wagon. Like wagons. Hate 5-series GTs.

[AshamedGorilla]

I have yet to hear anything positive about the GT.

I know that BMW has teams of people doing the research and math, but it seems to me that they could save/make more money by just offering the wagon and not putting the R/D and marketing into the GT.

[prash]

The GT's proportions are wierd. Even more wierd looking than the X6.

I'd take the wagon any day.

[AshamedGorilla]

The GT's proportions are wierd. Even more wierd looking than the X6.

I'd take the wagon any day.
I always thought of the GT as the offspring of an X6 and a F10.

[87shark]

Touring x a million

[tiFreak]

definitely the touring

[m3theman]

Yeah, I just can't figure out what the category the GT is supposed to fit into. Even as odd as the X6 initially was, it at least performed reasonably well in terms of handling, but for the bizzare GT, I just don't know. Does BMW think wagon/touring just aren't "sexy" anymore? They can reconfigure their marketing if the sales are poor rather then spend a huge load to bring in the GT. I pretty sure that BMW's wagons can out perform and out handle most SUVs out there.

[DrewDude320i]

The GT tries to be a lot of things, and does all of them...but in a mediocre way.

[spear///Mint]

The touring for sure. I mean the soon to be old E60 touring was awesome and I think that bringing on the GT was a bad idea because I don't know what it is. I don't understand why BMW makes both the GT and the touring? they are basically the same car except the GT is worse

[Cheyne]

Touring. No contest.

If I couldn't get the touring (thankfully it is coming to NZ) then I would stump for an X5 over the 5GT.

[Tomcat104]

I agree I'll go for the touring. The GT was BMW's attempt to fill a niche with a car that can hold farily large amount of cargo with the comfort and style of a sedan. The result is the strange looking car we have now. I much rather prefer BMW saved the cash they invested in the GT and provide us with the touring instead. This situation reminds me of the whole hybrid situation. Many of BMW's diesels offer actually similiar or even better mileage then the hybrids yet all we hear are the hybrids. Why? Because the hybrids just sounds so much more "hip" and "in style" then diesels.

As for the X6, that is more of a vanity product. It actually looks not bad and performed well enough considering it's rather large SUV size. The question is, the same (and better) level of performance could have been obtained from a smaller sedan or coupe with better mileage, so there was no real need for it. But I suppose given the sales, BMW has found a niche market for it.

[JDS]

Yeah, I just can't figure out what the category the GT is supposed to fit into.When it first came out, I saw it at the Miami Beach auto show. I asked the BMW guy there if it was supposed to be BMW's answer to the Porsche Panamera. He got all huffy.

[ddsski]

Funny I like the GT. If they come out with an xdrive diesel , it'll end up replacing my X5 someday.

[robmpulse]

Ummmm, what's a wagon?

[Charlie]

I've seen one E60 touring up around here, I've seen at least 25 of the new 550Gts. I'd say the market has spoken.

-Charlie

[gohard202]

The GT...I have one and luv it. A wagon????? are you serious???? Before you hate on the GT you should drive down to your local BMW dealership and take one for a drive. You cannot always trust what your read.

[pizzaman09]

The GT...I have one and luv it. A wagon????? are you serious???? Before you hate on the GT you should drive down to your local BMW dealership and take one for a drive. You cannot always trust what your read.

My local dealership does not have any, nor have I ever seen one in my area. Actually amazes me since they have 3 F01 7series on the lot.
Of course I have never seen a BMW wagon either, just a million VW Jetta TDI wagons. They sell more TDI wagons in my area than gas ones amazingly.

[robmpulse]

Of course I have never seen a BMW wagon either.....

There is a very good reason for this..... BMW does not make a "wagon". :nono

[JDS]

There is a very good reason for this..... BMW does not make a "wagon". :nonoBMW models marketed as "Touring" are in no way functionally or structurally different from models marketed as "Wagon", "Estate", "Avant", or "Shooting Brake". Do you wag your finger at people who don't type "MINI" in all uppercase and "smart" in all lowercase?

[pizzaman09]

There is a very good reason for this..... BMW does not make a "wagon". :nono

I understand that, my family had an Oldsmobile custom cruiser station wagon and to this day that is what I call all cars of that style, just a personal thing.

[robmpulse]

BMW models marketed as "Touring" are in no way functionally or structurally different from models marketed as "Wagon", "Estate", "Avant", or "Shooting Brake". Do you wag your finger at people who don't type "MINI" in all uppercase and "smart" in all lowercase?

No, capitalization does not bother me, but using the wrong term does.

What's funny, is how everyone uses the term "wagon" when it is not used by BMW at all.... but as soon as someone says "beamer" this place goes crazy.

:shifty

[gregmm6]

I wonder how much people would be hating on the wagon in favor of the crossover if we had the wagon but not the crossover.

[HardWorkandRest]

BTW, the Gran Turismo is an F07.

[tiFreak]

No, capitalization does not bother me, but using the wrong term does.

What's funny, is how everyone uses the term "wagon" when it is not used by BMW at all.... but as soon as someone says "beamer" this place goes crazy.

:shifty

BMW can call it whatever they want, it's a station wagon, but I guess people don't like that term since it's not cool sounding :dunno

EDIT: why is the dunno smiley still wearing a christmas hat? :rofl

[m3theman]

I call a spade a spade, and the touring is a wagon. Period. It's like BMW calling their SUVs "SAV", merely a marketing tool, it's a SUV all along.

I wonder about the people who buy the GTs, do they even think about BMW's traditional performance attribute? I would think not. The badge is what sells.

[pizzaman09]

I call a spade a spade, and the touring is a wagon. Period. It's like BMW calling their SUVs "SAV", merely a marketing tool, it's a SUV all along.

I wonder about the people who buy the GTs, do they even think about BMW's traditional performance attribute? I would think not. The badge is what sells.

You hit the nail on the head.

[325bob]

I call a spade a spade, and the touring is a wagon. Period. It's like BMW calling their SUVs "SAV", merely a marketing tool, it's a SUV all along.

I wonder about the people who buy the GTs, do they even think about BMW's traditional performance attribute? I would think not. The badge is what sells.

Does that mean I can't go touring in my coupe?

[gohard202]

I call a spade a spade, and the touring is a wagon. Period. It's like BMW calling their SUVs "SAV", merely a marketing tool, it's a SUV all along.

I wonder about the people who buy the GTs, do they even think about BMW's traditional performance attribute? I would think not. The badge is what sells.

Drive one.

[gregmm6]

Does that mean I can't go touring in my coupe?
no

[Tomcat104]

Interesting, the current edition of Bimmer magazine seem to compare the F11 touring favorably to the GT:

"While the 5 series wagons have traditionally sold in negiligble numbers in this market, we think touring enthusiasts would havetaken warmly to the F11, whose "dynamic and powerful looks" are matched by abundant cargo space and ample performance...
...
As a 535i touring, the F11 is powered by the same N55 turbocharged six as its Gran Turismo counterpart. The 3894-ib wagon can reach 62 mph in 6.1 seconds where the 4,433-ib 535i GT needs 6.3 seconds, and it returns 27.6 mph (EU combined) where the 535i GT returns just 26.4 mpg. Bummer." (p.6, No. 92, August 2010)

An in another article on the joy campaign, BMW directly addresses the criticism of the GT:

"...the purpose of cars like the 5 GT, which some-this author included-feel represents a dilution of BMW's purpose, at least as we know it in the US. Pitney (BMW marketing VP in North America) dosen't agree, but he does elaborate. "Very candidly, the 5 GT was not designed and developed for the North American market, but I think we'd be criticized by the BMW faithful if we did'nt bring it in-'Oh you leave all the good stuff in Europe!' As long as you bring them in with realistic volume expectations, no harm, no foul. It will be interesting to see how it develops. I can tell you that it has brought more women to our brand than any other vehicle we've announced of late. They're very interested." (p.62, No.92, August 2010)

[JDS]

How is it even possible that the 5GT weighs 539 pounds more than the 5 Touring??? Is that crazy hatch/trunk/whatever mechanism built out of solid uranium?

[gregmm6]

How is it even possible that the 5GT weighs 539 pounds more than the 5 Touring??? Is that crazy hatch/trunk/whatever mechanism built out of solid uranium?

It is a larger vehicle.

[JDS]

Gran Turismo:

http://www.autopians.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/bmw-535i-gt-single-turbo-valvetronic-n55-engine.jpg

Touring:

http://www.mwerks.com/artman2/uploads/1/f11-4.jpg

Looks about the same size to me, maybe the Touring a bit bigger.

[BaltimoreBimmer]

Gran Turismo:

http://www.autopians.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/bmw-535i-gt-single-turbo-valvetronic-n55-engine.jpg

Touring:

http://www.mwerks.com/artman2/uploads/1/f11-4.jpg

Looks about the same size to me, maybe the Touring a bit bigger.

No contest here. The Touring is the hands down winner in the looks dept. I have a family and refuse to ever own an SUV of any brand thus the touring is the best option.

[SEA63]

Touring, especially an ///M.

[golforcars325i]

Definitely the Touring!!!!!!!!!!

[legendary]

Definitely the touring. The GT is actually built on the 7-series chassis, hence its length and weight.