Being that you guys are presumably sport wagon lovers (I am as well, even though I don't have one), I wanted to get your take on BMW 'replacing' the 5 series touring with the 5 GT. From the beginning I've been very skeptical and now that it's been around for a few months I just thought I'd weigh in.

I think the whole thing is a mistake. Even if the 5 Sport Wagon wasn't flying out the door, it's more cost effective to continue to offer it in the U.S. market than to spend the resources and capital to develop and design the 5 GT.

This article irritates me because it is misleading and contradictory. The article is stating that BMW thinks they could have sold more GTs if they offered the 6 cylinder at launch and also that they are 20% behind projections in North America (we can insinutate that they are not selling well... duh).

But then they state that "However, since the launch of the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo, BMW has sold a total of 1,143 units, outperforming the 5-Series station wagon last year." Oh please... if I remember correctly, BMW sold just under 1,000 wagons last year... you know... the last year of a model that was 6/7 years old. Of course the wagon didn't sell well last year. Add to the fact that Mercedes and Audi have more extensive wagon offerings doesn't help matters either. BMW created great limitations on wagon customers by offering no powertrain options, it's almost as if they wanted to decrease demand for the touring.
And on top of that, if we project that the end of year sales for the GT will be double what they have been for the first half of the year (1,143 x 2 = 2,286) that's just a little over twice the amount of 5er wagons BMW sold last year... for a brand new model. If we were talking 10,000 or more that may be something to shake a stick at but less than 2,300 is seriously ridiculous. Talk about a lot of R&D for nothing.

Worth it, BMW?

 

i agree. A big mistake. I also think they priced most potential buyers out of the market by only offering the E61 as a full boat model. Not many people can afford $60K+ vehicles. Why not offer a 528 wagon (ie non turbo) and knock $5K off the price? How about RWD only and ditch the AWD to save more weight and cost?

You'd think they could offer the new F11 as special order only or something. How hard would it have been to allow it to be imported when it is the exact same car as the F10? Other than a few body panels, tail-lights etc, how much mechanical difference would there be? Would the logistics required to support the F11 (spare parts) add that much to their bottom line?

We are going to see the F10 today and "launch party" in Ramstein Meisenbach to finally see one in person. I have seen a few German F10s on the road but no F11s yet.

IMHO, the similarity between the GT and Aztek is uncanny.....

 

I too think it was/is a mistake not to offer the F11 wagon in the US. My 2010 E61 is just about right, although I would have preferred the M57 diesel and 2 wheel drive.

How does the GT compare: As is, the 2010 3.0 l GT (4,586 lbs) weighs 485 lbs more than my 4WD E61 (4,101). Taking the weight comparison further, as US 2010 535xi E60 Sedan (4WD) (3,902) weights 302 lbs more than a '10 535i E60 (3,660.)

Had BMW offered the E61 in the US with a 2WD option, I would have gone for it. The potential for a true sport suspension and fuel savings would have been enticing. Some would say what about the traction of 4WD in snow. The simple answer is changing to winter tires as those in the snow belt do. But bygones are . . .

As for the GT, if the E60/61 deltas hold, A 4WD 3.0 l GT might weigh 4,888 lbs, some 790 lbs more than my car. No thanks.

 

lots at F10s at the "launch".....very nice indeed. I think there will be an F10 in our driveway before X-mas, Just need to figure out if we will spend the extra $$ for 535 vs 528. They had lots of F10s in many combinations to sit in and play with. Next few weeks will be a test drive. I think I may be ready to give up on wagons.

 

I too think it is ridiculous that BMW press announcements and the Roundel are crowing that the new GT "outsold" the E61 in it's last year of production. A more accurate, apples-to-apples comparison would be the 2011 GT vs. the 2006 E61 wagon-- the first year of U.S. sales for both.

2006 E61 wagon- 2351
2011 GT- 1140 so far (projected 2286)

So the first year GT may end up selling less than the first year E61!!!!!!!!!

I ordered a 2010 535 wagon when the writing was on the wall, so I can live without the F11 being imported. I think the new Cadillac CTS-V wagon would be my first choice over an F11 if I had to buy one in the next year or two.

 

There have been other press releases on the F07 , and BMW has out right said it has been a MAJOR disappointment in all markets selling about a 1/10th of what was predicted , with one exception.... China. MB has had the same issues with the R class, except in China...

 

I intentionally just added another E61 to my garage for just the reason that this is the last year of production. I also have an 06. The biggest improvements are:

1) the engine, which gives the car plenty of go. The 530 was no slouch, particularly compared to my E39 525 touring.
2) iDrive. The '10 gets the new and improved, hard-drive-based, iDrive, just like in the F10 and the new 7.

My new car has the standard sound system, which is OK, but lacks bass and speakers on the rear doors. The 06 has premium sound, which is much better.

The new car has LED tail lights and a much better iPod interface. But the nav map is older than the 2008 map I have in my old car. I haven't gotten an answer on why that is.

 

I believe BMW is making a mistake, but not one that is not unrecoverable. Their decision not to import the F11 is based on money. The cost saved not to federalize the E61 in other configurations were the nails on the coffin. Imagine varieties of E61 two wheel drive with blown and non blown engines. Add in options of Sports pack with M faces which would have stolen sales from the E60. Now that Cadillac and others are looking at wagons as replacements of 4x4 coming off leases, let's see how long before they rethink the F11 equation. Money and sales talks the loudest, even in Munich.

 

Just wait for BMW to decide to stop paying the fines for not meeting the Fed Fleet fuel mileage standards...This will be a major consideration for them since the fines will go up soon and they and Porsche which have been turning a blind eye and paying them off will have to think about the cost. Caddy, Acura, Audi, MB ( e class wagon is coming back!), Vw, and Sabb are all looking to new sport wagons to fight the ever increasing fuel mileage requirements vs big truck based ( or in bmw's car Huge porker weighted) SUV's.

Hell they just put a press release out that the m3 will get stop/start tech here in the USA on the 2011 models... Why have they not been doing this since the start.. My wife would not let me get one when she saw the fuel mileage on the window sticker...