BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo - A Longer And Taller 3 Series

What is it? A longer and taller 3 Series

The 3 GT doesn’t cost a lot less than the equivalent 5 Series

It would be easy to dismiss the Gran Turismo as a pointless addition to the 3 Series range. After all, buyers can already choose between the superb driving saloon and the more practical Touring.

BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo

Scratch the surface, though, and the new Gran Turismo (GT) starts to make some sense. It’s longer and taller than the Touring, for example, which means it’s roomier inside, while the cabin is packed with clever touches to make the most of that extra space.

The new GT is available with a trimmed-down range of the engines from the 3 Series saloon. Diesel buyers can choose between 141bhp and 181bhp 2.0-litre engines, while the petrol line-up consists of 181bhp and 242bhp 2.0-litre turbo, plus a 302bhp 3.0-litre twin-turbo.

What’s it like inside?

Those increased proportions have done wonders for space and practicality. For starters, the GT has around 8cm more rear legroom than the 3 Series Touring, meaning there’s roughly the same amount of space as in the back of a 5 Series.

Practical hatchback opening and more space than the 3 Series Touring

Better still, you can adjust the backrest angles on the two outermost rear seats, while the large side windows give the impression of even more space than there actually is. The only downside is that the rear quarter glass juts into the door opening; you have to be careful not to bash your head when getting in.

The GT also has a bigger boot than the 3 Series touring; there’s an extra 25 liters of space with the rear seats in place. That advantage grows to 100 liters when you drop the seats, which is done simply by pulling levers in the boot. Each of the three rear seats can be folded independently of one another and lie virtually flat.

That swooping tailgate means the load bay isn’t particularly tall, but there’s some handy under floor storage, which can also be used to stow the two-piece parcel shelf. All models get a powered tailgate as standard, too, which can be opened by sweeping your foot beneath the rear bumper.

Visibility is better than in any other version of the 3 Series, partly because of the larger surface areas of glass, but is mainly because of the GT’s elevated driving position. You sit roughly the same height as in an X1 SUV, so have a great view of the road ahead. Over-the-shoulder vision isn’t so brilliant, but all models get rear parking sensors to help with reversing.

‘There’s a fair amount of road noise over coarse surfaces’

Despite the raised seating position, there’s plenty of headroom, meaning even unusually tall drivers will be able to get comfortable.

What’s it like to drive?

The GT might be more practical than a 3 Series touring, but it isn’t as sharp to drive. All of our test cars were equipped with adaptive M Sport suspension (a $1,140 option), which allows you to vary the stiffness of the shock absorbers. However, even in Sport mode, body movements aren’t especially well controlled.

You’re better off leaving the suspension in Comfort mode, because this gives a smoother ride. Sharp-edged bumps still tend to send jolts through the cabin around town, but high-speed comfort is impressive. Whichever mode you choose, there’s also a fair amount of road and suspension noise over coarse surfaces.

Adjustable M Sport suspension doesn’t do much to help the handling

The 181bhp 2.0-litre diesel is pretty noisy, but it combines decent performance with fairly ‘There’s a fair amount of road noise over coarse surfaces’ low CO2 emissions of 129g/km (the equivalent 3 Series Touring emits 125g/km).

Driving position: You sit higher than in the saloon and Touring, which gives a great view of the road ahead; Standard Kit: The GT gets adjustable rear backrests, a powered tailgate and rear parking sensors

We also tried the range-topping 335i model. Its 302bhp six-cylinder engine delivers seriously strong acceleration and an equally impressive soundtrack. Unsurprisingly, though, fuel economy isn’t so spectacular.

Should I buy one?

There’s no doubt the GT has some big practicality advantages over the 3 Series Touring. True, the GT isn’t as sharp to drive as the estate, but it’s a comfortable cruiser that comes with more standard equipment, helping to offset that higher price.

There’s no doubt the GT has some big practicality advantages over the 3 Series Touring

However, the 320d GT (predicted to be the biggest seller) costs just $2,500 less than an equivalent 520d touring, which has just as much interior space and a much bigger boot. It’s also just as economical as the GT and has a classier cabin.

Nevertheless, if you fancy something a little more distinct from a traditional estate, the new 3 Series Gran Turismo has plenty going for it.

Verdict: Surprisingly practical take on BMW’s small executive (4/5)