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Large Gran Turismo still pleases 3 Series fans

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The local car wash seems the best place for pictures in the midst of a sloppy winter and a 2014 BMW 335i Gran Turismo strikes a handsome pose in Arctic White. With enlarged dimensions for interior roominess, coupe-like lines and styling, the new GT blends the best of all worlds for touring comfort and family traveling.

The local car wash seems the best place for pictures in the midst of a sloppy winter and a 2014 BMW 335i Gran Turismo strikes a handsome pose in Arctic White. With enlarged dimensions for interior roominess, coupe-like lines and styling, the new GT blends the best of all worlds for touring comfort and family traveling.

Story and photos by Rob Beintema,
Metroland Media -

Good design always seems inevitable in retrospect.

And we can always trust BMW to take the best elements of different stylings and vehicular characteristics, in order to tailor them into a new and unique flavour of premium performance.

Recently, BMW Canada introduced the 2014 Gran Turismo, a new touring machine within the 3 Series lineup, blending the dynamics of sport sedan performance with coupe styling and the kind of passenger and luggage accommodation you’d expect in a utility vehicle.

It’s a handsome combination, gracefully elegant, featuring four doors with frameless windows and a smooth flowing roofline with a profile reflective of coupe styling lines.

Up front, the forward-slanting trademark kidney grilles remain the most striking feature, complemented by large intakes, “air blades” and BMW twin headlights with corona rings with xenon headlights and LED accent lights that are bigger than the lights on the sedan.

The GT stands for Gran Turismo, a vehicle style that blends driver-oriented performance with greater comfort and room for passengers and long relaxing touring treks.

Gran Turismo is a vehicle style that blends driver-oriented performance with greater comfort and room for passengers and long relaxing touring treks.

The hood has smoother contours than the Sedan or Touring versions. And air breather gill slits behind the front wheels add a kind of reverse Nike swoosh styling accent while improving brake cooling and aerodynamics.

The sleek lines of the GT flow back to a large, accessible hatchback marked with an active rear spoiler – the first of its kind on a BMW – a sporty cue designed to reduce rear lift at highway speeds.

With all these elements combined smoothly, and somewhat deceptively in proportion, it takes a minute or two before you realize that the Gran Turismo is a fair bit bigger than any of its 3 Series stable mates.

The new BMW 3 Series GT is 200 mm longer than the 3 Series Touring station wagon, building on a 110 mm longer wheelbase. It is also slightly wider and stands 81 mm taller.

And, as you’d expect, those larger dimensions translate into greater interior space and comfort, the forte of any good long-distance grand tourer.

Front and rear passengers benefit from a seating position that is 59 mm higher than seating in the Sedan or Touring.

Coral Red Dakota leather strikes a startling contrast against the classic black tones of BMW’s interior. The 335i comes well loaded with interior amenities, optional navigation and all the latest technologies.

Coral Red Dakota leather strikes a startling contrast against the classic black tones of BMW’s interior. The 335i comes well loaded with interior amenities, optional navigation and all the latest technologies.

This makes entry and exit more comfortable and also provides improved visibility, already enhanced by the frameless doors, large windows, standard panorama sunroof and airy cabin architecture.

The increase in space should be especially appreciated by rear seat passengers, with a full 70 mm of additional legroom over the Sedan and Touring, room comparable to dimensions somewhere between the 5 Series and 7 Series.

The 40/20/40 rear bench will seat three across in reasonable comfort but, for the long haul, this GT best offers premium accommodation for four passengers and their luggage.

Behind the rear seat, a large tailgate with foot-activated exterior opening sensor swings up to access a wide and accessible cargo area. Measuring at 520 litres of combined trunk and underfloor luggage space, the GT cargo hold outstrips the BMW 3 Series Touring station wagon measurements by a full 25 liters.

The 40/20/40 split/folding rear seat offers a variety of storage/seating configurations, maximizing luggage room to 1600 litres when folded flat.

Practical features include tie-down points, multifunction hooks, the underfloor storage compartment and cool-looking LED illumination strips.

Handsome leather upholstery on the seats and door panels, in this case in Coral Red Dakota, contrast with traditional dark textures and silver metallic highlights.

Handsome leather upholstery on the seats and door panels, in this case in Coral Red Dakota, contrast with traditional dark textures and silver metallic highlights.

The 2014 BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo comes in two turbocharged engine choices – four-cylinder or inline-six. All models come standard with eight-speed automatic transmissions and xDrive all-wheel-drive systems. And there are varying trim level selections and option packages available.

The 2014 BMW 328i Gran Turismo ($48,990) starts with a new, fuel-efficient 2.0-litre (1997 cc) TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder engine. It makes 241 hp at 5,000 rpm with maximum torque of 255 lb/ft peaking at just 1,250 rpm and remaining constant up to 4,800 rpm. The 328i GT will run 0-100 km/h times of 6.4 seconds and fuel economy is rated at 9.4/6.1L/100km (city/hwy). It rolls on 18-inch wheels and comes well equipped with premium bells and whistles.

The 2014 BMW 335i Gran Turismo ($56,990), as tested here, harnesses a 3.0-litre (2979 cc) TwinPower Turbo inline six-cylinder engine rated at 300 hp at 5,800 rpm with a peak torque of 300 lb/ft that is constant between 1,200 and 5,000 rpm.

This more powerful engine chops one second off the 0-100 km/h run at 5.4 seconds. The extra power and a slight 43 kg increase in curb weight translates into a fuel economy rating of 10.5/6.7L/100km (city/hwy). This model runs on bigger 19-inch wheels, adds steering wheel paddles to the eight-speed automatic and includes more standard equipment.

And, if that isn’t enough, available equipment packages start with the M Performance Package ($1,500) with adaptive M Suspension, high-speed performance tires, M Sport Brakes and variable sport steering.

Our tester added the Premium Package ($4,500) with alarm system, universal remote, comfort access, rear view camera, auto dimming exterior mirrors, lumbar support, park distance control, BMW On-Board Navigation, and a Harman/Kardon sound system upgrade with satellite radio.

The Executive Package ($2,000) added storage compartment package, high beam assist, lane departure and collision warnings, surround view cameras and a head-up display.

And a Connected Drive Services with ARTTI Package ($850) adds various connectivity technologies that, along with an Active Cruise option ($1,000) completed our tester’s shopping list.

And all of this came wrapped in an Alpine White exterior set off against a startling Coral Red Dakota leather interior.

It’s an impressive combination, and while it may not make much of a dent on Sedan and Touring sales, the 2014 BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo somehow manages to add more interior room and comfort while maintaining the driver-oriented performance demanded by discriminating BMW fans.

BMW 335i Gran Turismo 2014 at glance
BODY STYLE: five-door, five-passenger premium touring hatchback.
DRIVE METHOD: xDrive all-wheel drive.
ENGINE: 3.0-litre TwinPower turbocharged inline six-cylinder (300 hp, 300 lb/ft of torque) with eight-speed automatic transmission.
CARGO CAPACITY: 560 litres; 1600 litres behind front seats.
FUEL ECONOMY: 10.5/6.7L/100km (city/hwy)
PRICE: $56,990, as tested $65,340.
WEBSITE: www.bmw.ca


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