Yes recently they have started to add xDrive to the regular line up, though as the 3GT will be a niche product I am unsure whether BMW will see a need to offer it on this model over here.
3 Series (F30) [Official] The new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo.
The sixth generation of the BMW 3 Series consists of the BMW F30 (sedan version), BMW F31 (wagon version, marketed as 'Touring') and BMW F34 (fastback version, marketed as 'Gran Turismo') compact executive cars. The F30/F31/F34 generation was produced from October 2011 to 2019 and is often collectively referred to as the F30. For the sixth generation, the coupé and convertible models were spun off to create the new BMW 4 Series nameplate.
Yes recently they have started to add xDrive to the regular line up, though as the 3GT will be a niche product I am unsure whether BMW will see a need to offer it on this model over here.
Human
You. The Road. Nothing else.
However mixed opinions about the GT or how much I actually like this car IMO - BMW has a winner here. I believe that I wil be proven to have talked sense down the line as sales figures will show. Especially in the US, China, Germany and Russia this car is going to be a hit. As my mind changes by the minute, now, today I think....replace the X6 with a fully loaded 335i GT M-Sportpack with 19" wheels.
I may wake up tomorrow morning thinking....no. That's my problem! What next for me...M4!?
I may wake up tomorrow morning thinking....no. That's my problem! What next for me...M4!?
EnI
Piston Pioneer
SCOTT27
Drift Dynamo
EnI
Piston Pioneer
Deal breaker???
You mean deal maker, right?
Why would a massive rear legroom be a deal breaker for anyone?
EnI
Piston Pioneer
Maximum rear legroom in 3er GT is about 70mm bigger than in 3er sedan / touring ... Meaning the rear legroom dimensions of 3er GT are somewhere between the rear legroom dimensions of 5er & 7er SWB! While eg. rear legroom of 5er GT sits between 7er SWB & 7er LWB! BMW GTs are very spacious cars!
Maximum rear legroom dimension comparison:
F30/31 3er Sedan/Touring: 891 mm (35.1 in.)
F34 3er Gran Turismo: 960 mm (37.8 in.)
F10/11 5er Sedan/Touring: 917 mm (36.1 in.)
F07 5er Gran Turismo: 1062 mm (41.8 in.)
F01 7er Short Wheel Base: 988 mm (38.9 in.)
F02 7er Long Wheel Base: 1128 mm(44.4 in)
Audi A8 Short Wheel Base: 983 mm (38.7 in.)
So, almost an A8-level of rear legroom ... less than an inch less!
EnI
Piston Pioneer
Price comparison, German market (VAT incl.) ...
320d Sedan 6-speed M: €35,600
320d Touring 6-speed M: €37,400
320d Gran Turismo 6-sp M: est. €38,900 (GT will be priced about €1,500 above Touring)
520d Sedan 6-speed M: €41,100
520d Touring: 6-speed M: €44,060
520d Gran Turismo 8-sp A: €48,700
730d Sedan 8-speed A: €74,900 (cheapest 7er available)
So, 3er GT will be about €10k cheaper then 5er GT. About €1,500 more expensive than 3er Touring (that's €3,300 more than Sedan), and about €2,200 cheaper than 5er Sedan (that's about €5k less than 5er Touring).
IMHO this baby will sell well. With 318d GT & 320d GT & M-Sport pack available @ launch, and xDrive (incl. in popular engine models 320d GT & 320i GT) available in Fall 2013.
Even the 5er GT sell quite well (between 20k and 25k annually) - mind the much cheaper (about €8.5k less then previously cheapest 5er GT model) 520d GT was first introduced in late July 2012.
Expect the 3er GT to sell much better in Europe especially, and in some Asian markets ... not so much in the US though. Although it might sell better than Touring there!
320d Sedan 6-speed M: €35,600
320d Touring 6-speed M: €37,400
320d Gran Turismo 6-sp M: est. €38,900 (GT will be priced about €1,500 above Touring)
520d Sedan 6-speed M: €41,100
520d Touring: 6-speed M: €44,060
520d Gran Turismo 8-sp A: €48,700
730d Sedan 8-speed A: €74,900 (cheapest 7er available)
So, 3er GT will be about €10k cheaper then 5er GT. About €1,500 more expensive than 3er Touring (that's €3,300 more than Sedan), and about €2,200 cheaper than 5er Sedan (that's about €5k less than 5er Touring).
IMHO this baby will sell well. With 318d GT & 320d GT & M-Sport pack available @ launch, and xDrive (incl. in popular engine models 320d GT & 320i GT) available in Fall 2013.
Even the 5er GT sell quite well (between 20k and 25k annually) - mind the much cheaper (about €8.5k less then previously cheapest 5er GT model) 520d GT was first introduced in late July 2012.
Expect the 3er GT to sell much better in Europe especially, and in some Asian markets ... not so much in the US though. Although it might sell better than Touring there!
Maximum rear legroom in 3er GT is about 70mm bigger than in 3er sedan / touring ... Meaning the rear legroom dimensions of 3er GT are somewhere between the rear legroom dimensions of 5er & 7er SWB! While eg. rear legroom of 5er GT sits between 7er SWB & 7er LWB! BMW GTs are very spacious cars!
Maximum rear legroom dimension comparison:
F30/31 3er Sedan/Touring: 891 mm (35.1 in.)
F34 3er Gran Turismo: 960 mm (37.8 in.)
F10/11 5er Sedan/Touring: 917 mm (36.1 in.)
F07 5er Gran Turismo: 1062 mm (41.8 in.)
F01 7er Short Wheel Base: 988 mm (38.9 in.)
F02 7er Long Wheel Base: 1128 mm(44.4 in)
Audi A8 Short Wheel Base: 983 mm (38.7 in.)
So, almost an A8-level of rear legroom ... less than an inch less!
Good to see my eyes aren't deceiving me.
mini_cooper4
Autotechnik Ace
EnI
Piston Pioneer
If there's one thing I'm really good at it's pricing. The 3GT pricing is simply PERFECT!
Kudos to BMW... VERY smart! The leg room comparison was pretty interesting and helps people understand the purpose and need of cars of this type! Thanks, Eni!
Yes, the pricing is clever. So is the model portfolio (eg. low-end engines like 18d also available).
The problem with 5er GT was the pricing / model portfolio ... since until July 2012 no 4-cyl engine was available, just 6-cyl & 8-cyl. And not offering a 4 pot engine in this segment (5er) in European markets is a huge handicap! Not to mention the pricing: since 5er GT was marketed initially as "cheaper yet roomier alternative to 7er" - but low-end model deficit made the car unattractive to taxi drivers & individual buyers, while corporate buyers were still opting for conservative shapes instead (buying 5er Sedan instead of 7er or 5er GT - despite Sedan's less spacious cabin).
3er GT is much more family-oriented than 5er. Low-end models are available. The pricing is attractive. There's a lot of space - even more than in 5er. And the car is still dynamic enough (not as cruise-oriented like 5er GT) for a some driving pleasure - OK, less then sedan or touring, but definitely more than eg an equivalent SUV - and also being more comfortable than an SAV.
OK, sure a classical van would sell much better ... but such a model in 3er & especially 5er segment would be really stupid move form BMW! 1er segment is more than enough for a van with BMW badge. For the higher segments such cross-overs like 3er GT & 5er GT seem much more special & BMWish than a classic van.
They are here to offer an alternative ... to lure some customers from other brands, and to keep the current customers from changing the brands ... eg. if finding the BMW sedans too harsh, too sporty, not roomy enough, not comfy enough etc. Mostly elderly population is targeted. And in 3er GT case also small families & also female drivers (who eg find SUVs too big & too clumsy).
It's a niche, for sure. It's not a mainstream model. It has its customer pool ... just like 4dr coupes or 5dr shooting brakes or 5dr or 3dr SACs etc ... or even coupes, cabrios or roadsters.
Still the compact hatches, sedans, wagons, vans & SUVs are a mainstream. And some cross-overs (van/SUV) are now becoming mainstream too. All the other models are more or less a niche.
I wonder how it will sell compared to the X3, my gut is that the SUV will still hold a commanding lead sales wise due to the current love for their shape commanding driving position and the sense of security in the event of an accident though this last bit is probably more perception than reality. It's funny because though I like performance I gladly accept the compromise when buying an SUV, this GT is in my opinion a half way house between a conventional saloon and an SUV and might offer the best of both worlds with much less of the compromise of either.
Similar threads
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, abbreviated as BMW is a German multinational
manufacturer of luxury vehicles and motorcycles headquartered in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
The company was founded in 1916 as a manufacturer of aircraft engines, which it produced
from 1917 to 1918 and again from 1933 to 1945.
Official website: BMW (Global), BMW (USA)
Official website: BMW (Global), BMW (USA)
