2014 BMW 3-series GT
Take a car like the Mercedes-Benz CLS or Volkswagen CC, stretch the roofline a little farther back so that the backlight incorporates into the trunklid and forms a hatch, and you’ve got a body style that is booming on the other side of the Atlantic. The sleek Audi A5 Sportback is a huge hit, and even the stylistically challenged BMW 5-series Gran Turismo has exceeded BMW’s expectations. That surely pleases the company's bean counters, if not people who spot the car on the street.
Now BMW is taking the idea one segment down-market—and, thankfully, taking a cue from Audi on styling direction. The 3-series Gran Turismo spotted by our spy photographers looks little like its big brother, being closer in size and proportion to the A5 Sportback. Although the camouflage exaggerates the height of the rear end, notice the notch in the camo indicating the location of a small spoiler above the taillights. The roofline is low and sleek, and the bulging hood adds tension to the body.
Like the other 3-series body styles, the GT will have standard rear-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive. A clever mix of materials should keep weight from rising too much, but it remains to be seen whether or not BMW can emulate Audi's success in slashing hundreds of pounds from its next-generation vehicles. BMW’s work with carbon fiber will first benefit its upcoming electric cars, whose other expensive technologies and low sales goals make the cost of the material more palatable.
Act Now, Before They’re Gone Forever!
If you still care to drive a 3-series with the legendary, naturally aspirated inline-six, the Gran Turismo—or, for that matter, any 3-series based on the new F30 platform—will not be for you. All engines in the next 3-series family will be turbocharged, with four-cylinders covering the landscape below 300 hp and a blown inline-six taking over above that. This new family of engines might include three-cylinders, although the upscale aspirations of the GT means they are unlikely for this car. Diesels are a given, however, and so is a hybrid version. Power will be transmitted through a six-speed manual gearbox or an eight-speed automatic.
For a kind of entertainment other than that provided by the powertrain, BMW promises its upcoming vehicles will be leaders in connectivity. Surfing the web, making phone calls, having text messages read aloud, and downloading music will keep drivers informed, busy, and distracted.
The GT will join a large family, complementing the 3-series sedan, station wagon, coupe, and folding-hardtop convertible. And that’s a family it won’t just be joining in Europe. The 3-series Gran Turismo is likely to be sold in the U.S. as well, where—since Audi doesn’t sell the A5 Sportback here—it will pretty much have the niche to itself. The 5-series GT also has a niche to itself, but we’re pleased that the 3’s looks to be a much shapelier segment.
Take a car like the Mercedes-Benz CLS or Volkswagen CC, stretch the roofline a little farther back so that the backlight incorporates into the trunklid and forms a hatch, and you’ve got a body style that is booming on the other side of the Atlantic. The sleek Audi A5 Sportback is a huge hit, and even the stylistically challenged BMW 5-series Gran Turismo has exceeded BMW’s expectations. That surely pleases the company's bean counters, if not people who spot the car on the street.
Now BMW is taking the idea one segment down-market—and, thankfully, taking a cue from Audi on styling direction. The 3-series Gran Turismo spotted by our spy photographers looks little like its big brother, being closer in size and proportion to the A5 Sportback. Although the camouflage exaggerates the height of the rear end, notice the notch in the camo indicating the location of a small spoiler above the taillights. The roofline is low and sleek, and the bulging hood adds tension to the body.
Like the other 3-series body styles, the GT will have standard rear-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive. A clever mix of materials should keep weight from rising too much, but it remains to be seen whether or not BMW can emulate Audi's success in slashing hundreds of pounds from its next-generation vehicles. BMW’s work with carbon fiber will first benefit its upcoming electric cars, whose other expensive technologies and low sales goals make the cost of the material more palatable.
Act Now, Before They’re Gone Forever!
If you still care to drive a 3-series with the legendary, naturally aspirated inline-six, the Gran Turismo—or, for that matter, any 3-series based on the new F30 platform—will not be for you. All engines in the next 3-series family will be turbocharged, with four-cylinders covering the landscape below 300 hp and a blown inline-six taking over above that. This new family of engines might include three-cylinders, although the upscale aspirations of the GT means they are unlikely for this car. Diesels are a given, however, and so is a hybrid version. Power will be transmitted through a six-speed manual gearbox or an eight-speed automatic.
For a kind of entertainment other than that provided by the powertrain, BMW promises its upcoming vehicles will be leaders in connectivity. Surfing the web, making phone calls, having text messages read aloud, and downloading music will keep drivers informed, busy, and distracted.
The GT will join a large family, complementing the 3-series sedan, station wagon, coupe, and folding-hardtop convertible. And that’s a family it won’t just be joining in Europe. The 3-series Gran Turismo is likely to be sold in the U.S. as well, where—since Audi doesn’t sell the A5 Sportback here—it will pretty much have the niche to itself. The 5-series GT also has a niche to itself, but we’re pleased that the 3’s looks to be a much shapelier segment.
