BMW chooses Geneva to launch 3-series GT

BMW has confirmed that its cars will be out in force at this year's Geneva Motor Show and that the first European show of the year will also mark the worldwide debut of the 3-Series Gran Turismo.

The 3 Series GT will be one of the stars of BMW's stand when the doors officially open on March 7. A third body variant of the existing range, it blends coupe lines with 4-door practicality to increase trunk space and long-journey comfort, no matter how challenging or demanding the road ahead.

The vehicle follows similar moves by its closest German competitors, namely Audi and Mercedes-Benz to develop mid-sized executive cars with greater storage space without sacrificing looks. The four-door Audi A5 sportback in particular has been a huge success since it went on sale in 2009 across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Also making its first appearance at the show will be an improved BMW Night Vision system, the latest addition to BMW's ConnectedDrive suite of technological driver aids. Claimed to make a significant contribution to accident avoidance at night, or when visibility is poor, the system's Dynamic Light Spot can identify pedestrians and, from summer 2013, will be able to recognize animals in the road beyond the range of a vehicle's headlamps. Using an infrared thermal imaging camera, Dynamic Light Spot can detect objects up to 100 meters away, distinguishing between animals and humans based on how much heat they emit. If it anticipates a potential collision with an animal, the Dynamic Light Spots start to flash at the animal in a targeted manner. The instrument display simultaneously flags up the symbol of a deer. In the event of acute danger, the on-board system additionally emits an acoustic warning.

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