Just the Facts:
LOS ANGELES — After months of heavily disguised prototypes, the 2014 BMW 3 Series GT has finally been caught undisguised and it's better than expected.
Unlike the ungainly BMW 5 Series GT, the 3 Series Gran Turismo is sleeker and less blocky, with a Hofmeister kink that looks to be pulled from the X6. Still, this not-quite-a-wagon/not-quite-a-hatchback compromise leaves, visually, something to be desired.
During a promotional shoot, our photographer saw both the standard 3 Series GT (brown) and the hotter 3 Series GT M Sport.
Anyone who's paid any attention to BMW in the last decade knows what kind of power these hatchy wagons will have. There will be a base 328i utilizing a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and a 335i with BMW's slick turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 with or without BMW's xDrive all-wheel drive. An ActiveHybrid and a diesel are less likely, but possible.
On a 2013 BMW 3 Series sedan, the M Sport line includes 18-inch, staggered-width rims with performance tires, sport seats, different interior trims, an M steering wheel and an increased top-speed limiter, and there's no reason to assume this one will be very different.
Previously we'd heard that BMW was set to release this in-between-sized 3 Series at the Paris auto show, but now we're banking on a 2013 Geneva Auto Show debut this spring.
The 5 Series GT has never been a hit — visually or dynamically — with enthusiasts, but sales and customer input were strong enough to warrant a smaller version. The 3 Series Wagon has been hamstrung by BMW from day one, failing to offer the strong motor. That option alone could make a case for enthusiasts to get behind the 3 Series GT in the U.S.
Edmunds says: This could be the wagon alternative that BMW has been searching for to snag U.S. buyers who want extra room, but don't want an SUV.
- Future BMW 3 Series GT is caught undisguised during a photo shoot.
- BMW is following up on the success of the larger 5 Series GT.
- The new hatchback will debut at the 2013 Geneva Auto Show.
LOS ANGELES — After months of heavily disguised prototypes, the 2014 BMW 3 Series GT has finally been caught undisguised and it's better than expected.
Unlike the ungainly BMW 5 Series GT, the 3 Series Gran Turismo is sleeker and less blocky, with a Hofmeister kink that looks to be pulled from the X6. Still, this not-quite-a-wagon/not-quite-a-hatchback compromise leaves, visually, something to be desired.
During a promotional shoot, our photographer saw both the standard 3 Series GT (brown) and the hotter 3 Series GT M Sport.
Anyone who's paid any attention to BMW in the last decade knows what kind of power these hatchy wagons will have. There will be a base 328i utilizing a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and a 335i with BMW's slick turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 with or without BMW's xDrive all-wheel drive. An ActiveHybrid and a diesel are less likely, but possible.
On a 2013 BMW 3 Series sedan, the M Sport line includes 18-inch, staggered-width rims with performance tires, sport seats, different interior trims, an M steering wheel and an increased top-speed limiter, and there's no reason to assume this one will be very different.
Previously we'd heard that BMW was set to release this in-between-sized 3 Series at the Paris auto show, but now we're banking on a 2013 Geneva Auto Show debut this spring.
The 5 Series GT has never been a hit — visually or dynamically — with enthusiasts, but sales and customer input were strong enough to warrant a smaller version. The 3 Series Wagon has been hamstrung by BMW from day one, failing to offer the strong motor. That option alone could make a case for enthusiasts to get behind the 3 Series GT in the U.S.
Edmunds says: This could be the wagon alternative that BMW has been searching for to snag U.S. buyers who want extra room, but don't want an SUV.
