The seventh generation of the BMW 3 Series range consists of the BMW G20 (sedan version) and BMW G21 (wagon version, marketed as 'Touring') compact executive cars. The G20/G21 has been in production since mid-October 2018 with a facelift in July 2022 and is often collectively referred to as the G20.
martinbo
Staff member
@Betty Swollocks. Awaiting your review eagerly - especially your appraisal of the exterior lines and interior materials.
braaf
Stuttgart Specialist
M-Sport will be the top selling trim but I look forward to seeing the G20 bossed up in a classy Luxury trim. The F30 looked really good in luxury trim with multi-spoke alloys.
I owned one in black and very rarely encountered a similar one. It made an, other wise commodity of a car, feel a bit special.
This is still a seriously good looking car 6 years later.
klier
Premium
Why would you possibly want his appraisal on the design? Interior quality I can understand, but the actual design?
martinbo
Staff member
HUH?
klier
Premium
Appraisal of exterior lines sounds like an opinion about design to me.
I should have time this evening at some point, even if it is late on. Got a few pics and videos to post too.
martinbo
Staff member
Ja and? Can't I ask for his opinion on this given that he's seen it in the flesh and I haven't.
Maybe there's a design aspect which is more apparent in real life than it is in 2D pics and is worth a mention e.g. "hey guys - you see this line here... it's way more apparent in person than it is in pictures and makes the design [insert opinion here]"
Laurent T
Premium
Could see it at the Paris Motor Show today :
- many black shiny plastic on the bumpers for various finishes... doesn't look right on this car. Might be improved with chromes, don't know, but that's a low point.
- otherwise exterior design is very well executed
- interior is TOP. Looks and feels upmarket, technological, very clean. Loved it. But I confirm the plastic around the gearlever is too much present, a small low point (and the gearlever for the autobox looks and is small).
- many black shiny plastic on the bumpers for various finishes... doesn't look right on this car. Might be improved with chromes, don't know, but that's a low point.
- otherwise exterior design is very well executed
- interior is TOP. Looks and feels upmarket, technological, very clean. Loved it. But I confirm the plastic around the gearlever is too much present, a small low point (and the gearlever for the autobox looks and is small).
Laurent T
Premium
To illustrate what I mean :
Until I saw it in the flesh, I didn't notice this detail. Would have been better with a larger vent and the lights pushed upwards where the black plastic is.
I agree 100% my S60 has wonderful seats they are so comfy and supportive, so much more than the standard seats in my previous E90 3 Series.
Where are the RHD 3 series built now for export? Is Rosslyn stopped producing BMW for export?
hovabongZA
Tire Trailblazer
Don’t know where they are now built maybe , Germany and Mexico for RHD markets ? Rosslyn now builds the X3 ....300 per day if I remember correctly.
BMWSA were set to build both the 3er and X3, but there was a huge strike so that was put in ice indefinitely.
Human
You. The Road. Nothing else.
Windtunnel engineering.To illustrate what I mean :
Until I saw it in the flesh, I didn't notice this detail. Would have been better with a larger vent and the lights pushed upwards where the black plastic is.
BTW come local launch I will get my take on the interior fit, finish and materials. That said and I have to say all my crying in the rain about the German trio of manufacturers cutting corners in this relevant department is gone. All their new offerings including BMW's new interior materials is to die for!
I can write a book about the design of the new 3er. But in short and repeating myself, it embodies all the best design features and that BMW 3 series essence of It's predecessor's of which the E46 is, was and will always be my favorite!
The pure fact that there is E46 DNA all over and inside the new 3er makes it already a winner of Golden Steering Wheel proportions in my book.
The ONLY one you have to convince is yourself.
Well I am 100% convinced that platforms like GCF and every useful post led to the majority of members on this Forum being part of and contributing to what we see being presented as near perfect products from the German trio of manufacturers. Yes, they take us seriously for we are the consumer authorities which also include dealer and press feedback.
That's why I can write a short kudos to BMW group for the new 3er and how little I can write to complain about it.
So, I went to the Paris Motor Show on Monday, and as I've already posted in this thread, I wasn't "blown away" by the new 3 Series. This is my attempt to understand WHY I wasn't blown away. Sometimes you don't know.
The first indications were before my dad and I got to the BMW stand. We approached from the side, and clearly visible (side on) was the Mineral White example seen in lots of photographs. My dad, someone who has been interested in cars long before I was born, and who buys far more car mags than I do, mistakenly thought it was a Lexus. This was only a fleeting mistake, but nevertheless, it happened. And this is the first issue for me. The side view just hints at Lexus. Not for long, but it's there. The second issue is the design is fussy. I didn't realise there was no air breather until I saw the car in real life. On the white example at least, the vertical line immediately behind the front wheels just looks unnecessary and stupid.
And at the front there are, again, lots of unnecessary lines leaving the design cluttered. This white example was the M Sport model, and I had to double check a couple of times because it wasn't immediately obvious. On the F30, it was obvious it was the M Sport. What you can't see in the photo below, are the numerous lines and "features" in the lower front air dam, because they're in black. In the photo they're hidden somewhat, but in real life it just looks very "busy".
If you compare the photos of the G20 and F30, the F30 to me looks more simple, but sportier. I have to admit, when I look at the G20 photos now, it looks better than I remembered it. And that's a novel experience of BMWs of late. Usually they look much better in the metal than in the photos, but for the G20 it's the other way round.
At the front, the lights look great, but the grill looks odd. For me I think it's the THICK outer chrome bar surrounding both kidneys. I think in black it would look much better, or even the dull matt silver to be found on the M Performance models.
Moving to the interior, again, I wasn't blown away. Sure, the big sat nav screen is modern and crisp, and obviously larger now, but the BMW Live Cockpit looks cheap. It's crisp, sure, but the design looks like it would be found in a computer game, with the speed and rev counter going up in bars along the sides. I understand why they've designed it like that, but I MUCH prefer the previous digital cockpit. The one with the dials still represented by a physical silver bezel (see below).
Maybe I will feel differently about the Live Cockpit when I eventually use it in real life, but they had a demo of it in one of the cars showing how it displays all the different functions and I think it's a step back.
The quality of the interior was high, with two exceptions. The large area surrounding the gear selector was cheap. A large plastic surface. No separate buttons. It didn't look or feel right to me. And then the chrome trim around the air vents looks cheap, but it might be that it was covered in finger prints due to being at the motor show. It just didn't look good. The new Piano Black issue.
Some videos of the interior. SORRY about the portrait mode. I hate it when people do that, and then I go and do it!
So, what is my conclusion? I don't dislike it. But I just see it as different to the F30. Is this influenced by the fact that I've just taken delivery of an F30 M Sport? No way. It's my daily runabout. It replaced a Polo so it's a big upgrade in that way. I'm smitten, but I don't feel like I have to justify it. It's not my main car so I'm happy. Maybe in three months I'll absolutely love the G20 and wonder what on Earth I was talking about. Sometimes designs take a while to get used to, after all.
You know what? I think there are TWO major factors influencing my reaction to it. First, I think a big part of it is the modern way in which cars are launched. This isn't a new car to me, despite it receiving its world premiere at Paris. We've seen spy shots for over two years. Anybody who is good with computers can produce renders now. We've had "ridealongs", teasers, and then numerous press release photos and videos. By the time you see it for the first time it's just not new. The second issue is that there are just so many different models now. When BMW had three models, this could have been the first launch in two years, so all the new tech like the Live Cockpit would be brand new. But it seems manufacturers have a new car launch every month, so a lot of it is not new any more. There are just not many genuinely NEW launches any more.
Either way, I reserve the right to change my mind in three months!
A few more photos I took in Paris...
The first indications were before my dad and I got to the BMW stand. We approached from the side, and clearly visible (side on) was the Mineral White example seen in lots of photographs. My dad, someone who has been interested in cars long before I was born, and who buys far more car mags than I do, mistakenly thought it was a Lexus. This was only a fleeting mistake, but nevertheless, it happened. And this is the first issue for me. The side view just hints at Lexus. Not for long, but it's there. The second issue is the design is fussy. I didn't realise there was no air breather until I saw the car in real life. On the white example at least, the vertical line immediately behind the front wheels just looks unnecessary and stupid.
And at the front there are, again, lots of unnecessary lines leaving the design cluttered. This white example was the M Sport model, and I had to double check a couple of times because it wasn't immediately obvious. On the F30, it was obvious it was the M Sport. What you can't see in the photo below, are the numerous lines and "features" in the lower front air dam, because they're in black. In the photo they're hidden somewhat, but in real life it just looks very "busy".
If you compare the photos of the G20 and F30, the F30 to me looks more simple, but sportier. I have to admit, when I look at the G20 photos now, it looks better than I remembered it. And that's a novel experience of BMWs of late. Usually they look much better in the metal than in the photos, but for the G20 it's the other way round.
At the front, the lights look great, but the grill looks odd. For me I think it's the THICK outer chrome bar surrounding both kidneys. I think in black it would look much better, or even the dull matt silver to be found on the M Performance models.
Moving to the interior, again, I wasn't blown away. Sure, the big sat nav screen is modern and crisp, and obviously larger now, but the BMW Live Cockpit looks cheap. It's crisp, sure, but the design looks like it would be found in a computer game, with the speed and rev counter going up in bars along the sides. I understand why they've designed it like that, but I MUCH prefer the previous digital cockpit. The one with the dials still represented by a physical silver bezel (see below).
Maybe I will feel differently about the Live Cockpit when I eventually use it in real life, but they had a demo of it in one of the cars showing how it displays all the different functions and I think it's a step back.
The quality of the interior was high, with two exceptions. The large area surrounding the gear selector was cheap. A large plastic surface. No separate buttons. It didn't look or feel right to me. And then the chrome trim around the air vents looks cheap, but it might be that it was covered in finger prints due to being at the motor show. It just didn't look good. The new Piano Black issue.
Some videos of the interior. SORRY about the portrait mode. I hate it when people do that, and then I go and do it!
So, what is my conclusion? I don't dislike it. But I just see it as different to the F30. Is this influenced by the fact that I've just taken delivery of an F30 M Sport? No way. It's my daily runabout. It replaced a Polo so it's a big upgrade in that way. I'm smitten, but I don't feel like I have to justify it. It's not my main car so I'm happy. Maybe in three months I'll absolutely love the G20 and wonder what on Earth I was talking about. Sometimes designs take a while to get used to, after all.
You know what? I think there are TWO major factors influencing my reaction to it. First, I think a big part of it is the modern way in which cars are launched. This isn't a new car to me, despite it receiving its world premiere at Paris. We've seen spy shots for over two years. Anybody who is good with computers can produce renders now. We've had "ridealongs", teasers, and then numerous press release photos and videos. By the time you see it for the first time it's just not new. The second issue is that there are just so many different models now. When BMW had three models, this could have been the first launch in two years, so all the new tech like the Live Cockpit would be brand new. But it seems manufacturers have a new car launch every month, so a lot of it is not new any more. There are just not many genuinely NEW launches any more.
Either way, I reserve the right to change my mind in three months!
A few more photos I took in Paris...
SKY
Kraftwagen König
I have been quite hard always with the F30 interior. However, this seems to be on an entirely different level. Surely these few negative details Betty is comenting are to be expected on this segment.
The more I see it the more I like it. Had I the need of a larger car, this would be my choice without a shade of a doubt.
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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.
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