Confirmed: 3 Series Gran Turismo to be Discontinued

BMW Pulls the Plug on the 3 Series GT
The G24 3 Series GT had been previously cited on BIMMERPOST in July of this year, as being canceled based on leaked information.

This week at the 2018 Paris Motor Show, BMW’s global development chief Klaus Fröhlich confirmed to motoring.com.au that there are no plans to bring the 3 Series Gran Turismo into the next generation.

While the 3 Series Touring and 4 Series Coupe and Convertible, as well as the high-performance M3 and M4 models, will inevitably follow the 3 Series Sedan onto the market in due time, there won’t be a new 3 Series Gran Turismo.

Fröhlich points to a shrinking audience for the 3 Series GT, exacerbated by the market demand and expansion of BMW's X models.

“Things are changing,” said Fröhlich. “When we did the GT we saw that in demographic change people want to sit a little more upright. But then you saw X1 and X3 you can sit upright and you feel younger. So this segment is under pressure from SUVs, which are having no disadvantage in fuel consumption or in ride and handling.”





“Segments are growing and shrinking and you have to always be careful,” he adds.

“Some cars we will always try and this doesn’t mean they have to be proceeded with.”

Fröhlich admits that producing more variants of the same model range does not necessarily translate into higher sales figures.

“There are seven or eight 3 and 4 Series derivatives. You can do 10 derivatives but you will not sell more,” he said.