It's fun to see those evolutionary charts that depict a monkey in the left corner and its gradual change to human on the right because sometimes it's comical to see how previous "models" of people looked. The same can be said for sportified four-door hatchbacks. As we all know, the first Porsche Panamera was as ugly as sin, and unfortunately its copycat, the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, shared that quality. Boxy dimensions in the back and that rounded and well-known 5 Series face up front made the Gran Turismo look confused.

Is it an SUV? A CUV? A sedan? Nobody knew, and as it appears, that ambiguity will continue into the next generation. That's because our spy photographers caught the latest version of the 5 Series GT out testing and despite the heavy camouflage, we can still see the bewildered lines of the sedan roofline trying to accept an abrupt drop at the end. BMW has plenty of experience making the 3 Series Gran Turismo as well as the 4 Series and 6 Series Gran Coupe look attractive, but these lessons weren't carried over here. What the Bavarian auto giant did bring to the table in place of aesthetic value is a lightened car that should the Hunchback of Notre Dame imitator retain some balance in the corners and go easier on the gas.

Aiding in that pursuit are an array of engine options that will allow customers to tailor the car to best suit their needs. The powerplants have not yet been announced, but we can expect a few gasoline engines, a diesel or two, and a hybrid variant to alleviate carbon footprint associated guilt. According to our spies, the rumor on the block is that the 5 Series Gran Turismo will migrate upwards and replace the 6 Series Gran Coupe, but we have our doubts because surely BMW isn't naive enough to think it would actually outsell the gorgeous Gran Coupe 6er. Besides, the 6 Series coupe is slated to become a Porsche 911 fighter, so bearing the same badge as this car seems like a sin.