The BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo has always been unusual since its release. It’s not quite a crossover and it’s not quite a wagon. It has a quirky hunchback body form and is sort of in the center of everything. It seems to be unsure of what it wants to be. Many buyers find that hesitancy to be off-putting, which has resulted in low sales numbers. With the new 3 Series generation being officially available, BMW plans to discontinue the Gran Turismo model.
In a recent investor presentation, BMW stated that “no successor model for the current generation of the BMW 3-Series Gran Turismo will be produced.” The Bavarians genuinely assert that there was sufficient demand to support manufacturing, but I think they are being very optimistic. Instead, they are attempting to simplify things and tighten up the model portfolio. The 3 Series GT is one of the vehicles being eliminated in that decrease since it is now illogical.
The BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo is a superb automobile in and of itself, yet it offers little to customers. Although the 3 Series Touring serves as the wagon version of the 3er series because it isn’t available in the US, it isn’t quite as attractive as either the wagon or the sedan. No matter how hard dealers try to claim it, it’s not as practical as a true SUV. Additionally, its starting price ($45,400) is higher than that of the actual SUV, the BMW X3 ($43,000 for a comparable xDrive variant).
In addition to being more expensive than the X3 right off the bat, I can assure you that the BMW X3 is also better to drive, more useful, more comfortable, and even has a more modern design aesthetic and cabin. In addition to being more superior in every quantifiable and ineffable manner, the X3 is also more affordable to purchase. Therefore, it just doesn’t make sense to choose the 3 Series Gran Turismo over the BMW 3 Series sedan or the BMW X3. It therefore merits the ax it is about to receive.
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For 2020, BMW will stop selling its 3 Series GT and 6 Series GT in the US.
If there was still any doubt, today’s press release from BMW of North America served as confirmation. In the US, the low volume, specialized grand tours are disappearing. The 3 Series GT and the 6 Series GT won’t be offered to American customers for Model Year 2020.
A few months ago, it was revealed that the 3 Series GT will be discontinued, and it was anticipated that the 6 Series GT would follow suit. The adaptable 6 Series won’t undergo a second generation, as we previously reported.
Although the model will not be discontinued in other markets, the 6 GT will still receive a refresh in 2020 in the form of a minor lifecycle design upgrade. The 6 Series Gran Turismo will still be for sale because it is more common in Europe than it is in the US.
Our sources claim that the 6 Series GT was even examined as a potential electric vehicle a few years back, but the idea was scrapped due to a shift in strategy that calls for fewer model options.
Both the 3 GT and the 6 GT failed to find favor with SUV-driven customers in the US, and their cancellation was anticipated given the country’s robust crossover lineup.
Production of the BMW 3-Series Gran Turismo is ending, and Few Will Miss It
Due to the discontinuation of the 3-Series Gran Turismo (GT) production, BMW no longer has an ugly duckling in the premium small car family.
The decision, which Autocar describes as a cost-cutting measure, was made not long after business executives said there was still enough demand for the vehicle to retain it in the lineup.
The 3-Series GT, which was based on the previous F3X generation of the vehicle, is no longer available on the manufacturer’s UK website. Instead, customers can purchase the new 3-Series Saloon and Touring starting at PS32,565 ($42,946) and PS34,065 ($44,924), respectively. The 3er liftback, however, is still available in Germany together with the G20 sedan and G21 estate, with a starting price of EUR40,700 ($45,553). This is EUR2,850 ($3,190) more than the former and EUR1,300 ($1,455) than the latter.
As the more recent G2X version of the 3-Series will continue to be sold in the saloon and estate body styles, namely the G20 and G21, as well as the long wheelbase G28, which is only marketed to China, a replacement to the 3-Series GT is not being explored.
The 3-Series GT (F34), which was unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show and facelifted three years later, was available with four- and six-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines, as well as rear- and all-wheel drive. It shared a wheelbase with the F35 LWB sedan, which was built for the Chinese market. This gave it additional space by adding 110 mm (4.3 in) between the two axles, but it wasn’t enough to keep it in the lineup despite being longer and taller than the Saloon and Touring.
BMW’s rationale behind dropping 3 Series Gran Turismo
First and foremost, the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo has an unusual appearance. The fact that it is a decent automobile does not imply otherwise. It combines almost all of the qualities we loved about the 3 Series sedan from the previous generation with more inside room and a slightly elevated seating position resembling that of a crossover. The 3 Series Gran Turismo offered a solution for BMW buyers who still preferred a sedan to a crossover but had a problem with interior spaciousness. However, as was already known, BMW decided against including a straight replacement for the GT with the most recent generation of the 3 Series. The reason for this decision is probably not what you would expect.
Autocar reports that 3 Series Gran Turismo production is now officially over. Additionally, it is no longer promoted on the official BMW website.
The 2013 launch of the hatchback-like 3 Series was followed by an upgrade in 2016. While it had an unusual exterior, the 5 Series Gran Turismo, which was also cancelled and has since been replaced by the more traditionally styled 6 Series Gran Turismo, was far more unsightly. BMW, however, decided to stop making the 3 Series GT due to cost-cutting measures that were initially mandated by now-retired BMW CEO Harald Krueger, not just because of how it looked. Saving more than $13 billion is the ultimate objective.
BMW does not publish a detailed sales comparison of the 3 Series GT and the sedan, although it is safe to conclude that the former did not enjoy the same level of popularity as the latter.
The 3 GT was undoubtedly more of a niche player who was finding it harder and harder to make a case for itself in a crossover-dominated market. BMW is also lowering the number of its current drivetrain choices by roughly half by 2021, which will be made feasible by the switch to just two flexible platforms. Future vehicles will become less complex as a result, cutting down on development time.
By no means was the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo a subpar car. Yes, its aesthetic wasn’t to everyone’s taste, but BMW just couldn’t afford the costs to introduce a replacement.
BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo manufacture is over; there will be no replacement
Since the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo is no longer included on pricing lists for 2020, BMW has stopped producing it. There is currently no direct replacement in the works.
The decision to abandon the model is instead a part of a significant cost-cutting efficiency drive, despite executives’ initial claims that demand for the model is still at the desired levels.
Launched in 2013, the 3 Series’ saloon and Touring estate models were sold alongside the hatchback version of the company’s best-selling executive sedan. In 2016, a new version was released.
The now-discontinued BMW 3-Series GT was one of BMW’s best-selling vehicles in India, and the 3-Series LWB, which boasts an extremely promising rear-seat experience, will fill its hole in 2021.
A long-wheelbase variant of the 3-Series sedan will replace the 3-Series GT in India, which is an unexpected move by BMW. Despite its unusual looks, the long-wheelbase BMW 3-Series GT was surprisingly BMW’s best-selling model in India. However, there is currently no substitute for the 3-Series GT, which has been globally withdrawn. Thus, BMW India will be replacing the hole left by the 3 GT with the 3-Series LWB, which is anticipated to arrive in dealerships by the middle of 2021. It will then be the sole large wheelbase sedan in its sector, which may cause a market upheaval.
The long-wheelbase formula has historically been successful in India, at least in the luxury car market. The Mercedes S-Class, BMW 7-Series, and Audi A8 are just a few examples of vehicles that are only available in their long-wheelbase models in India. The Mercedes E-Class, which is the sole long-wheelbase sedan in its class lower down the ladder, is unquestionably the market leader. Later on, long-wheelbase became the standard for the sector, even for executive sedans like the Skoda Superb. Giving Indians a little extra room in the back never hurts.
Similar to India, China is a market that greatly enjoys long-wheelbase vehicles, and all of the vehicles mentioned above are largely LWB vehicles in China. As a result, the long-wheelbase 3 Series is not exclusive to India as it is already available in China. However, the right-hand-drive LWB 3 Series will first be sold in India. But exactly how much longer is it than the regular 3-Series? Well, the wheelbase of the 3-Series LWB is 110mm longer than the conventional 3-Series, which is a significant difference. The wheelbase is an additional 41mm longer than the 3-Series GT. It is therefore a lot.
But it’s not just about the lengthening. The increased space available will make backseat passengers feel more pampered than they would in a standard 3-Series. With 43mm more legroom in the back seats, they have been significantly upgraded. The bench has also been upgraded with better bolstering and padding. The headrests are softer, and the middle armrest is bigger. A panoramic sunroof and ambient lighting are also included. The longer doors also facilitate entry and exit. So much effort has been put into making the back seats more comfortable.
A 258hp 2.0L turbo-petrol engine and maybe a 190hp 2.0L diesel engine will power the BMW 3-Series LWB (330Li) under the hood. The long-wheelbase 3-Series was conceived and engineered alongside the standard 3-Series, so it is unquestionably not an afterthought. So, you may anticipate that the 3-Series LWB will drive much like a genuine BMW. However, unlike the 3-Series GT, the 3-Series LWB looks almost exactly like the regular 3-Series, save from the obviously longer body. Thus, it is yet unclear how BMW will distinguish between the two items. The BMW 3 Series LWB looks extremely intriguing and might provide a very distinctive experience in its sector for a likely price of between Rs 48 lakh and Rs 52 lakh.
Additionally discontinued is the 3 Series GT, which was based on the previous-generation model.
- BMW’s entry-level 320D Sport and 3 Series GT have been retired.
- The 3 Series GT was replaced by the 3 Series Gran Limousine.
- Prices for the 3 Series lineup start at Rs 42.60 lakh today.
BMW India has reorganized the 3 Series portfolio shortly after introducing the 3 Series Gran Limousine. The 320D Sport and 3 Series GT, two entry-level models from the Bavarian automaker, have been retired. Prices for the current lineup, which starts with the 330i Sport version, start at Rs 42.60 lakh.
The base-model BMW 320D Sport diesel, which had an ex-showroom price of Rs. 42.80 lakh, has been withdrawn. It was significantly less expensive than the 320D Luxury Line by a stunning Rs 5.10 lakh. With an 8.8-inch i-Drive infotainment system, cruise control, three-zone climate control, drive modes, launch control, and powered front seats, the 320D Sport also came equipped with a decent lot of equipment. Six airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, and a tyre pressure monitor made up the safety package.
The Sport model with the 2.0-liter gasoline turbocharged engine is an option. The cost of this variation is Rs 42.60 lakh.
The 3 Series GT, which sells for Rs 42.50 lakh, has also been phased out along with the 320D Sport. Its sloping roofline, which gave it a coupe-like appearance, served as its primary identifying feature. The most recent batch, known as the Shadow Edition, had blacked-out design accents for a sportier appearance. Before being discontinued, it had a 2.0-liter turbo-petrol engine available.
The 3 Series Gran Limousine, which was just released and starts at Rs 51.50 lakh (ex-showroom), is the 3 Series GT’s replacement in India. The longer wheelbase in this case provides greater room for back passengers’ legs. Here you can read our thoughts on the 3 GL.