On top of all the hot mess BMW is churning out, now they're producing "gran coupes" of their coupes. These are simply 4 door versions of their coupes that are simply differently styled sedans.
There is a 5 series sedan, then there is a 6 series coupe. Now, there is a 6 series
"gran coupe". Why?
If the 5 series is too bland, then just make a nicer looking 5 sedan. Does BMW really need a "gran coupe" 6 series?
I believe there are plans for a 4 series "gran coupe" too. So, there is a new F30 sedan.
Then comes the new 4 series coupe based on the 3 series sedan, then there will be a 4 series gran coupe, which is simply a differently styled 3 series.
It boggles with WHY?!
That's a lot of sedans with not much different other than styling. Too many models.
Does this mean we'll see a new 2 series coupe, and then a 2 series "gran coupe/4 door", and then a 1/2 series based sedan? It's too much.
I'm looking forward to seeing a 1/2 series sedan, which hopefully will fill the size gap that has opened up with the larger new 3 series.
A 1/2 series sedan, sized like the E46 3, with an N55 and N20 will be a big seller, more so than a 4 series gran coupe, at least I think it will.
I would love to see BMW refocus on the "ultimate driving machine" with the 1 and 2 series. It should be a hatchback, a coupe, and a sedan. Light weight, big power, with the BMW DRIVING enthusiast as the target.
The current 3 series is as big of a BMW sedan as I'm willing to tolerate. By the next gen 3 series, BMW will lose me. If the new 2 coupe and sedan don't drip with ultimate enthusiasm for the driver, I'll find something somewhere else.
I've been on the F30 site for a while now, and there is a distinct difference between the members there and the members here.
There are way too many members on the F30 site who welcome the larger size and creature comforts of the new 3 series MORE than they value it's driving/handling characteristics. It's amazing how many people LOVE the new "ECO" pro MPG driver setting, and this from people who went with a "sport line" and "Msport" 3 series. It's more of a 'technoluxury' enthusiast forum than a driving enthusiast forum.
Yes, the new 3 is larger, but BMW kept the weight down, and the sport/Msport versions are still the best 'sport sedans' on the market, except for the Audi S4, which is an excellent drivers machine and gives the 335i a run for it's status.
That forum is full of members who wholly welcome all these new BMW variants, so much so that I think BMW can now build a volume FWD model and there will be a lot of takers, sadly enough.