BMW has, as of late, been very good at answering the questions that no one seems to ask.
First, it came out with the X6. This cross between an SUV and a car befuddled journalists and public alike. What was it for? Why not just get an SUV? Who would want to buy this so-called "sport-activity vehicle"?
Well, people did buy the X6, and it's gone on to be a success, especially here in the Middle East. And now, BMW has come out with something else that creates a new niche of vehicle you never thought you would want. But after spending a few days in BMW's latest offering, I found that the 5 Series GT, like the X6, is sure to be a surprise hit.
The 550i GT is definitely not like any other car in BMW's lineup; in fact, it's quite different from most other vehicles on the road. Taller than a wagon but smaller than an SUV (or SAV, if you prefer) or even a crossover, the fact that it's part of the 5 Series family is rather misleading: it's based on the 7 Series platform and is about as large. And with the sloping, hatchback-styled rear, its overall appearance has created quite a bit of controversy. Only Audi's A7 is similar in design, but that German offering has a more sporty, sloping look to it. A classic beauty the GT may not be, but the more time you spend with it, the more appealing the car becomes. In fact, this is one car that I struggled to find fault with.
The taller stance means seating is more upright and comfortable like an SUV, though passengers still sit lower. This GT has the optional dual bucket seats in the rear instead of a bench for three passengers; each seat can be adjusted front to back and reclined.
Indeed, overall comfort and luxury inside the cabin is excellent. Everything, from the feel of the leather on the steering wheel to the overall precision of the switches and knobs, gives this the opulence you would expect from a high-end car. Of course, it's loaded with convenience features such as heated and cooled leather seats, a panoramic sunroof, multiple power sockets, a USB port and hidden ambient lighting. The iDrive infotainment system is, once you get the hang of it, fairly easy to use. I especially like that an mp3 player can be controlled from the system, with song information displayed on the dash screen.
Another hint at this model's luxury? On the road, even at speed, the cabin stays so eerily quiet that passengers can easily carry on a conversation. It's as silent as a bank vault, with almost no wind or tyre noise to drown out your thoughts.
That rear hatch some people might find aesthetically challenged covers a large cargo area and also offers up a surprise: you can either use the entire hatch (which is power operated), or you can use a smaller, hidden door for little things like groceries. Very convenient.
As a typical BMW, you'd expect this to have a dynamic driving experience, and you wouldn't be disappointed. Its tall stance and heavy weight (at 2,015kg, it's 110kg more portly than the regular 5 Series) mean it won't take on the company's more nimble vehicles, but with active roll stabilisation, automatically adjusted dampers, adaptive steering and other electronic nannies, it will pleasantly surprise you in the corners.
Another surprise will come when the driver pushes down the throttle. The twin-turbo V8 under the hood is good for 407hp, but what really gets this car moving is the 600Nm of torque available at just 1,750rpm. Acceleration to 100kph of 5.5 seconds puts this in the realm of sports cars. The engine is combined with BMW's EfficientDynamics system, which includes regenerative braking and an alternator that comes on only when needed or under braking, but make no mistake, this will be one thirsty car on the motorway. I couldn't even get it near its estimated fuel economy.
But along with the power and handling, the ride is downright limousine-like. In fact, combined with the silent cabin and taller seating position, this car would be the ideal ferry for anyone worthy of being chauffered between business meetings. The only downfall I could find is that, no matter how slow I took a speed bump, the rear end seemed to hop viciously, jarring anyone in the back seats.
On my final day with the GT, I received a call from Abu Dhabi Motors asking if I could bring the car back a little earlier than planned. I found out why when I got to the dealership - the car had already been sold. I expect that will be a harbinger of things to come.
nvorano@thenational.ae
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
The view from The National
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
CHINESE GRAND PRIX STARTING GRID
1st row
Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
2nd row
Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-GP)
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
3rd row
Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull Racing)
4th row
Nico Hulkenberg (Renault)
Sergio Perez (Force India)
5th row
Carlos Sainz Jr (Renault)
Romain Grosjean (Haas)
6th row
Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
Esteban Ocon (Force India)
7th row
Fernando Alonso (McLaren)
Stoffel Vandoorne (McLaren)
8th row
Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso)
Sergey Sirotkin (Williams)
9th row
Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso)
Lance Stroll (Williams)
10th row
Charles Leclerc (Sauber)
arcus Ericsson (Sauber)
Brief scores:
Toss: Sindhis, elected to field first
Kerala Knights 103-7 (10 ov)
Parnell 59 not out; Tambe 5-15
Sindhis 104-1 (7.4 ov)
Watson 50 not out, Devcich 49
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
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A%20QUIET%20PLACE
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TOURNAMENT INFO
Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri
Apple%20Mac%20through%20the%20years
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MATCH INFO
Day 2 at the Gabba
Australia 312-1
Warner 151 not out, Burns 97, Labuschagne 55 not out
Pakistan 240
Shafiq 76, Starc 4-52
THE BIO
Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old
Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai
Favourite Book: The Alchemist
Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna
Favourite cuisine: Italian food
Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20Roundup%20%3A%20No%20Way%20Out
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Company%20Profile
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West Asia Premiership
Dubai Hurricanes 58-10 Dubai Knights Eagles
Dubai Tigers 5-39 Bahrain
Jebel Ali Dragons 16-56 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
Date started: May 2021
Founder: Mamta Arora
Based: Dubai
Sector: Clothes rental subscription
Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5