So much for BMW’s preparations to take the wraps off the production-ready 5-Series Gran Turismo this upcoming weekend. Following an earlier leak this morning, a string of photos made their way around the internet revealing the controversial model in detail. As anticipated, the 5-Series GT has remained faithful to the concept car that was previewed for the first time at the Geneva motor show in March. To put it bluntly, the GT is quite possibly, one of the most weirdest cars ever produced by BMW. First of all, it’s no Gran Turismo, at least not in the way we think of GTs.

What we see as an outlandish fusion of bits and pieces from sedans, station wagons, fastbacks, coupes, MPVs, SUVs and bulgy buttocks, the Bavarian automaker views as a SAV which is short for ‘Sport Activity Vehicle’ – yes, something in the likes of an X6 saloon. The 5-Series GT supposedly blends the sporty shape of a fastback with the elevated seating position of an SUV, the cargo-hauling versatility of an MPV and the roominess of a 7-Series. Go figure.

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Following the presentation of the new Concept 5-Series Gran Turismo to the members of the press, BMW went ahead and issued the first official photos and details of its 5-door study that will enter production later this year with minimal changes as the 5-Series GT. So what exactly is the GT we hear you ask. Tough question. The GT, which is based on the next generation 5-Series, will complement the sedan and Touring versions of BMW’s mid-size executive model, supposedly offering buyers MPV-like practicality and 7-Series cabin space in a liftback package with a coupe-like roofline.

BMW 5-series Gran Turismo Concept PAS Then again, the GT which is described by BMW as the Progressive Activity Sedan (PAS), comes with a four-seat layout (what’s so practical about that?) and a design that is sure to create a new outburst of controversy, especially in what concerns its squatted and ‘uber’ Bangle-ized buttocks. All we can say is that if any other carmaker (e.g. Ssangyong…) were to introduce such a vehicle, the press would be cracking jokes like a drunk comedian.
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It’s a new day and we all know what that means! Yet another post about the Mustang. Most of us here at Autoblog are unabashed Mustang fans. So when the call comes from Dearborn to drive yet another new Mustang, we invariably set about rearranging schedules. Such was the case last week. No sooner had we returned to frost-bitten Detroit after the LA Auto Show than the call came to return to SoCal. It was time to take the 2010 Mustang off the LA Convention Center stand and out into what passes for the real world in these parts.

Before we hopped into the updated Mustangs, Ford wanted to give us a refresher on what was being left behind. We were supplied with 2009 models to drive from our hotel to the staging area in Malibu. Anyone who has ever spent time in a 2005-09 Mustang is immediately aware that the weak link is its interior. In a word, it looked and felt cheap. The order of the day for the new 2010 model is refinement. Find out after the jump if Ford has made a Mustang worthy of competing in the now crowded class of modern day muscle cars.

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