Our 2009 BMW 750i has a meager 14.0-cubic-foot trunk capacity and a ski pass-through, but no folding seat. So you might think our sedan is pretty useless for hauling compared to most luxury crossover SUVs and the emerging population of luxury hatchbacks (5 Series Gran Turismo, Audi A7).
Today, though, I got out my tape measure and, unofficially, found the 750i's trunk competitive with the cargo bay of a 550i GT I measured recently.
This isn't that surprising, mind you, given that the Gran Turismo has only a 15-cubic-foot bay until you fold its reat seats (--> 60 cubic feet). But I think it's a relevant comparison, given that the two cars share the same platform architecture and have nearly the same wheelbase (120.9 vs. 120.7), the same track width (63.4 front, 65.1 rear), and the same overall width (74.9). Our 750i is 3 inches longer overall -- 199.8 inches. Also, BMW is targeting a similar buyer with these cars... the difference might come down to a Labrador.
Here are the numbers. For width, I'm giving you a range from the narrowest point to the widest. And for height, it's the lowest-clearance point to the highest.
750i 550i GT
Liftover height, in. 27 27 3/4
Depth of trunk/bay, in. 43 3/4 36
Width of trunk/bay, in. 31 -- 54 40 3/4 -- 52 3/4
Height of trunk/bay, in. 19 1/4 -- 20 1/4 13 -- 26 3/4
Erin Riches, Senior Editor
joliveira says:
12:22 PM, 01/21/10
This proofs that SUV as Crossovers are useless, just exist to waste fuel and be slow. You dont need the extra height of an SUV or crossover, you just need a car with suficient headroom, then have nice spacce and a big boot.
bc1960 says:
12:42 PM, 01/21/10
That's kind of a sweeping statement, especially considering that neither of the vehicles being compared is an SUV or a "crossover." BMW gives you a choice of how you want your volume configured. I wouldn't buy either, but if I had to pick, it would be the 550i GT, which would fit my life much better than the 750i. They're only near equivalents if you presume that all the seats are always filled and the only available cargo area is the boot. In which case a minivan or an estate car would be a better choice anyway.
chavis10 says:
12:43 PM, 01/21/10
Real crossovers are quite useful. The 5 series GT on the other hand is just plain stupid. It's a 7 series with a botched rear end & slightly taller ride height that is labeled a 5 series to sell at a lower than 7 series cost. Yeah, this makes as much sense as BMW's nomenclature that lists the same engine block in three different classes (328i, 535i and 740i all have 3L engines- WTF?). Or how about saying this five times fast: BMW Z4 sDrive35is.
brn says:
01:01 PM, 01/21/10
It has a big trunk because of a high beltline. High beltlines suck, but are becoming more common.
It still has less cargo space than typical hatchback, which has less cargo space than a station wagon, which has (should have) less cargo space than a crossover.
billt9 says:
10:04 PM, 01/21/10
did somebody just write a comment on sucking gas, in a post about the 15/22 mpg 750i?
1487 says:
06:48 AM, 01/22/10
so I guess the point is the 5 series GT isnt all that practial and you might as well get the 5 series sedan. Not only is the GT ungainly, its pointless as a cargo hauler.
vvk says:
09:53 AM, 01/22/10
Edmunds continues to underreport BMW trunk volumes. Erin, trunk capacity is listed in BMW owner's manual on page 256. It is 500 liters or 17.7 ft3. You are incorrect when you say that "750i has a meager 14.0-cubic-foot trunk" -- it is a mistake. Edmunds lists incorrect trunk volumes for EVERY BMW model going back many years.
17.7 ft3 is fairly generous, as you confirmed by your measurements. On top of being very large, it is shaped in such a way as to make it very useful for actual suitcases, strollers, etc. Much more useful than trunks in its direct Asian competitors.
lucien4 says:
10:42 AM, 01/22/10
It's not just about cargo space but the way you load stuff to fit in the cargo. For instance try to load a wheelchair or other more high item in this sedan compared to a sportback/liftback/wagon.
So what you should measure is rather the length of the opening vertically. That's your limit right there which is a lot wider with the GT or other crossovers/hatchbacks.