Geneva 2009: BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo

MW's segment-splitting 5 Series Gran Turismo concept has rolled out under the bright lights here at the Geneva Motor Show, and the automotive media has set to poking and prodding it like an alien specimen from Area 51. From the funky twin-hinge hatch (a rather gimmicky item not dissimilar to that of the Skoda Superb) to each of its four doors, journalists could be seen opening and closing the 5GT's apertures with curious zeal.

To our eyes, the 5 Series GT is better looking in person, although it clearly isn't a natural beauty. The rear seats are obviously more capacious than its 5 Series Touring counterpart, and with only two rear seats, it's plainly more opulent and airier as well (naturally, the panoramic roof helps). If the interior lacks richness in our live pictures, that's not an illusion - it is not a fully functional space and some of the materials aren't up to snuff, but we suspect that the production car will be up to BMW standards. That said, we hope the German automaker feels free to move away from its historically restrained (read: dull) interior color palette, because an unconventional design like the 5GT deserves it. High-res gallery below, official press release after the jump.