BMW
do a ‘take two’ with the GT concept, and this time they just might have hit the
bull’s eye with the new 3 Series GT
It’s
just been a couple of years since the international launch of the new BMW 3
Series, and already the Munich-based luxury car manufacturer is reinventing the
model. Aiming to carve a niche with the all-new 3 Series GT, the new model
hopes to satisfy the changing requirements of buyers who are in search of a
stylish and spacious family car, with the flexibility of a long-distance
journey. Not a mom’s car, nor a utilitarian estate, but something with little
more individuality, character and a dash of sportiness. An earlier GT attempt with
the 5 Series wasn’t really a big hit, but the smaller 3 Series GT does have
better aesthetic appeal.
The GT is 80mm taller and
20mm wider than the regular 3 Series, riding on a wheelbase 110mm longer than
the Touring wagon
The
BMW designers utilised the 3 Series’ platform, retaining the sedan’s essential
characteristics like driving dynamics, sharp styling, and loaded it with
dollops of roominess, features and practicality of a grand tourer. The GT has
grown by 17 mm in width, is 200 mm longer and taller by 79 mm, while the
wheelbase has been stretched by 110 mm. With better headroom and improved rear
knee-room the GT makes an attractive chauffeur-driven car, perfect for emerging
markets like India. Keeping that in mind, BMW India have finalised plans to
locally assemble the 320d GT and will already have launched it during the recent
Auto Expo 2014.
We
bring you this first-hand report from Madrid, so that you know what to expect
from the new BMW 3 Series GT before it reaches our shores. There are blatant traces
of 3 Series sedan, both outside and within. The front gets a little more
aggression with larger headlights, a bigger kidney grille, re-profiled bumper
and a bolder nose. Large air intakes below the headlights emphasise the
sporting character of the car, as do the slits behind the front wheel-arches,
which breathe out air entering from the front air curtains to improve
aerodynamics.
The GT’s interior is cloak
in the same soft-touch trim as the regular 3-series
If
you look at the GT from behind, the rear design makes it a completely different
car from its sedan sibling. The silhouette with slanting roofline and extended
tail give the GT a distinct coupé-like elegance. The huge boot-lid lifts up
along with the rear windscreen, like a notchback, and is electrically assisted
for added convenience. Plus the big opening makes for easy access to the
luggage area. Furthermore, the aerodynamically motivated active rear spoiler,
the first of its type on a BMW, adds to the dynamic character by popping up
while crossing the 130 km/h mark to reduce lift. Overall, the GT is bigger,
taller and rides higher, but the smart design doesn’t make it obvious and
disguises the increased bulk gracefully.
Slipping
into the large driver’s seat, I came face-to-face with the same, neatly
laid-out dashboard and driver-oriented cockpit, as seen on the 3 Series sedan.
Most of information display and dials are easy to read, and my test car even
came with the optional heads-up display. The leather-wrapped steering wheel
comes with paddle shifters for added convenience and sportiness. There’s a long
list of features, which include two-zone automatic climate control, rain sensor,
automatic headlamps, rear parking sensors and Bluetooth connectivity, with the
options adding adaptive headlamps, extended lighting and premium leather
upholstery, apart from several styling accents. The overall cabin design is simple,
layered with high-quality material and executed with top-notch finish.
Visually, it looks the same, but the ergonomics have changed thanks to the
59-mm higher seats. This changes the driving position and makes ingress and egress
comfortable too.
Active rear spoiler, the
first of its type on a BMW, adds to the dynamic character and reduces lift
