Next Generation M3 Gran Turismo GT Rumor (instead of F30 M3 sedan)

[Scoobe]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

This rendering by (Jon Sibal?) gives a very good indication of how the car is progressing. This shape is is very much similar to the outline of the car and how it fits within the 3er portfolio. If you focus on the outline and not the detail you can see how the car can carry the M3 badge. Think of the CS Concept shrunk down for the premium entry segment and you get the BMW 3er Gran Turismo.

It is known as Progressive Sports Coupe.

Have to admit Scott, that looks pretty bad ass considering I have a stroller and car seat in my sedan. I could use the extra room and that does it with some style.

[quiksi]

Originally Posted by NycE93M3

all i hope is that the NEXT M3 comes stock with full 380mm Brembros all round

cuz its such bs paying 70K for a car with just regular brakes and seeing a 40k charger or challenger come with them stock


now i gotta spend 7k out of pocket , just to match them

and yet our "regular brakes" outperform many "OEM Brembos" - example, the "worst" time on Insideline's E90 M3 was 110 feet 60-0, while the Dodge SRT-8 is 119 feet. I think that's a pretty decent stock offering.

[Scoobe]

Originally Posted by quiksi

and yet our "regular brakes" outperform many "OEM Brembos" - example, the "worst" time on Insideline's E90 M3 was 110 feet 60-0, while the Dodge SRT-8 is 119 feet. I think that's a pretty decent stock offering.

Brembo's are more appropriate for track use. The stock M3 brakes fade pretty quickly.

[JoeyBananaz18]

id be the first on line to pick one up

[bobbyd1961]

Originally Posted by jhsu

Reported on M3POST HOMEPAGE.

Just got my latest copy of Roundel and there is a rumor that BMW will produce an M3 GT in place of the sedan when F3X model comes out. Not sure why BMW thinks that a mini X6M will sell better than a sedan if M3 sedan sales are so disappointing. That would signal to me that most M3 buyers are not necessarily looking for more practicality.

big mistake if bmw thinks they didnt have enough sedan sales they will be shocked to see how much less the sales will be on the ugly gt.

[sameh]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

This rendering by (Jon Sibal?) gives a very good indication of how the car is progressing. This shape is is very much similar to the outline of the car and how it fits within the 3er portfolio. If you focus on the outline and not the detail you can see how the car can carry the M3 badge. Think of the CS Concept shrunk down for the premium entry segment and you get the BMW 3er Gran Turismo.

It is known as Progressive Sports Coupe.

Not bad actually!!

[quality_sound]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

In both the E46 and E90 generations we have been - oh-so-close to introducing an M3 Touring , it's no secret that competitors Audi with the (then) RS 4 Avant and Mercedes-Benz with the C63 AMG T-Modell are very popular in continental Europe. But as soon as we get close to official they pull back. In hindsight though those customers who wanted an M3 Touring ended up going for the M5 Touring instead.

Whether the F31 M3 Touring will make an appearance during this decade is not decided yet , but the X3-M will probably fill that role.




The 3er Gran Turismo will follow the same philosophy of it's 5er GT brother.
To which if you compare the 5er GT to the 5er sedan there are only a few areas in which they share - being the door mirrors , indicator unit on the front wheel arch and door handles. The 5er GT is not just a fastback variant of the sedan. In design it stands alone in appearance and and purpose, although the DNA is apparent with it's 5er kinship.

And 3er GT follows exactly the same formula , customers did not want simply another variant. It had to be a completely different car to which it is even though underneath is heavily shared.

BMW invested heavily in developing new modular architecture for the 1er and 3er , because future projections show that the Citycar , Compact and Premium Entry segments are targeted for future growth.
Thus the decision was made to invest in developing the new modular architecture so that additional variants could be produced cost effectively within one set platform. The new modular structure can be shortened , lengthened , to accomodate a huge range of models which BMW are investigating for production.

During the economic crisis BMW and every other premium manufacturer learned that customers were willing to downsize to more smaller vehicles if they had the same level of luxuries in a larger car. This is primarily the decision to look at expansion within the 1er and 3er segment.
Both the next generation 1er and 3er will feature optional equipment , normally found in a luxury model of a higher segment.
Next years important (F20) 1er launches with a significant list of new innovations and tech normally reserved for a high end 7er. It is designed to increase the appeal of compact luxury cars and move the 1er into a higher profit region.

You have to look at the future aswell? Could we eventually see the demise of the high end premium market?

One particular segment which is forecast to increase by 50% in europe is the compact, large MPV market which BMW are investigating due to high demand for a BMW with more space.
Although BMW wants to take the flexibility , space and purpose but translate it more to a car like concept. You may be shocked but in latest auto industry editorial. Mercedes-Benz are developing a range of "Gran Sport Tourers" for the C and E-Klasse for exactly this reason - growth and increased profit.

Audi will be next - watch this space.

And about BMW and FWD? I say this , I think the new BMW Compact City Car will be a success. Why? because in order to sell the idea the packaging has to stand out and in design , boy, does this car stand out. Very sporty and very futuristic looking - take the front of the Vision Efficient Dynamics , shrink and translate that to a city car. The shape is more sporting looking , with a very striking character line. It is not a conventional typical hatch.
They drove an A1 into the design courtyard at the FIZ and by impressions alone the Audi looked old even though it was launched (in Germany) this month.

As for driving? Why cant typical BMW attributes not be applied to a FWD car?
The dynamics brief is to make the car drive like you expect a BMW to do.
Make it Sporting to drive and offer excellent handling qualities but not sideline the R63 MINI in which it shares , again using highly invested modular architecture in which the BMW Compact will share with the R63 MINI.

I dont think we will capture the same level of success as did the first BMW developed MINI as Lightning does not strike twice (normally) If it did I would not be surprised as they know that this car has to stand out in more ways than one.

The recently debuted A7 shows Audi already had that same thought.

[ChrisK]

Originally Posted by 335i Piotr

I hope this never comes to life and just stays a rumor.....can you say ugly. More info in the link.

http://networkedblogs.com/9xM0o

I take back everything I ever said about Chris Bangle!!!!

[peanut13]

dear god i hope not the sedans are too sexy

[Jake C]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

This rendering by (Jon Sibal?) gives a very good indication of how the car is progressing. This shape is is very much similar to the outline of the car and how it fits within the 3er portfolio. If you focus on the outline and not the detail you can see how the car can carry the M3 badge. Think of the CS Concept shrunk down for the premium entry segment and you get the BMW 3er Gran Turismo.

It is known as Progressive Sports Coupe.

That rendering does not look bad at all but it reminds me a lot of the new 6 Series Coupe. Minus the extra 2 doors of course. It appears from your statements that BMW is committed to the 3 Series GT. I understand that and I will wait to see the final product.


- J

[evoiii90]

Originally Posted by Scoobe

Brembo's are more appropriate for track use. The stock M3 brakes fade pretty quickly.

I agree, stock M3 brakes are a joke when used more than one lap on the track, from the E30 M3 up to the E9x M3. All the strengths of the stock M3 at the track disappear after 3 or 4 laps when the stock brakes start to give you a non consistent feel at best, and/or fading at worst.

The M3 is still positioned as a dual purpose car, ie, for the street and occasional weekend light track use. That's why it still outperforms many of its competitors on a single lap track time and why magazines and auto shows keep using it as a benchmark.

As for the comparison with the Dodge SRT-8, that doesn't mean the Brembos are bad. You have to compare apples to apples for the comparison to make sense. Fit the M3 with the Brembos and measure stopping distance. Then put on some laps and measure fading, consistency and stopping distance lap after lap. Guess what brake system will come up on top on the same car.

BMW is probably saying the M3 brakes are tested at the Nurburing and they work perfectly there, maybe that's because they have enough time to cool down there. Go to a typical track, and we all know what's the story. For the street of course the single caliper brakes of a stock M3 are more than adequate.

Sorry if this is off the main topic but I had to get it out of my chest...

[OC3]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

This rendering by (Jon Sibal?) gives a very good indication of how the car is progressing. This shape is is very much similar to the outline of the car and how it fits within the 3er portfolio. If you focus on the outline and not the detail you can see how the car can carry the M3 badge. Think of the CS Concept shrunk down for the premium entry segment and you get the BMW 3er Gran Turismo.

It is known as Progressive Sports Coupe.

Jebuz, that design is as ugly as that Porsche Panamera...

[duk]

that is ugly

[EuroCarsOnline]

If BMW wants to sell more M3 Sedans, increase the residual already. I don't get why it's so low. The e90, even though I wish it came with a CF roof, is the perfect car! 4 doors, powerful, adjustable suspension for everyday driving, incredible transmissions, ZCP option (my preference).

Why is a convertible that's $10k more expensive, cheaper to lease? Its super cool that everyone is getting their dream convertible for a low lease payment, but why not make e90 customers happy too? Put a 64% residual on this beast and get the payments in the $600 or lower range for the last year of the V8 and it's instant win. Let's go BMW!!

[ihyln]

Originally Posted by EuroCarsOnline

If BMW wants to sell more M3 Sedans, increase the residual already. I don't get why it's so low. The e90, even though I wish it came with a CF roof, is the perfect car! 4 doors, powerful, adjustable suspension for everyday driving, incredible transmissions, ZCP option (my preference).

Why is a convertible that's $10k more expensive, cheaper to lease? Its super cool that everyone is getting their dream convertible for a low lease payment, but why not make e90 customers happy too? Put a 64% residual on this beast and get the payments in the $600 or lower range for the last year of the V8 and it's instant win. Let's go BMW!!

BMW is probably pissed that the E90 M3 cannibalised a lot of E60 M5 sales. I mean when you are talking about a near 30k difference when loaded you begin to wonder if that extra 90hp is worth it. Their thinking is always weird so this is my weird reason!

All joking aside you know they didn't even promote the E90 M3 as much as they should and now they want to kill it off due to low sales? Then, bringing in the M3 GT makes some kind of sense? I'm positively baffled at some of their management thought process.

[MRSSIIM3]

when i read the thread title, i thought you were referring to the playstation game

LOL

[James T. Kirk]

An M3 hatchback? Khaaaaaaaaannnnn!!!!!!
.

[quiksi]

Originally Posted by Scoobe

Brembo's are more appropriate for track use. The stock M3 brakes fade pretty quickly.

I may be going out on a limb here but it seems like the Brembos that are sold as aftermarket upgrades are superior to most Brembo branded brakes that are OE on some cars

[quality_sound]

I'm betting the GT replaces the sedan AND the Touring. A crying shame, really. I mean, there's no 5er Touring in the US anymore. It's no stretch to see them not making a 3er Touring. I've seen the new 5er Touring over here and it's bad ass. Too bad I'll never be able to buy one. I guess I'll have to buy a final year 328iT or 328xiT.