Saloon, coupe, estate and SUV all in
one? Meet the 3 Series take on the Swiss Army knife
The ultimate crossover BMW would have us
believe the GT is every 3-badged car rolled into one: more spacious than the
estate, the dynamics of the saloon, the roof-line of a coupe and the seating
height of an SUV. Unlike the inglorious 5 Series GT, the 3 version manages to
avoid looking like it devoured the rest of the range.
BMW
3 Series GT
BMW scenic
One set of letters hasn’t escaped BMW’s
lips: MPV. Essentially, that’s what the GT is, mostly clearly seen in the
adaptable rear seats. They split 40:20:40, and the back rests can be tilted
through 19 degrees. The boot has space under the floor to stow the parcel
shelf. No room for a spare, though BMW’s first active spoiler
Unlike
the inglorious 5 Series GT, the 3 version manages to avoid looking like it devoured
the rest of the range.
GT’s active spoiler
the first on a BMW, rises at 110kph to
reduce rear lift by over 35% and retracts again below 70kph. Up front, the Air
Breather vent is said to reduce drag around the wheel arches
Solitary straight-six
The single sixer in the range, at least for
now, is the 225kW 335i, but the fours are strong. Heading the diesels is BMW’s
new 160kW 325d, and the 328i 2.0 liter petrol turbo also tempts at 180kW
Comfortably sprung
BMW wants the GT to be both dynamic and
comfortable, even without the optional adaptive dampers. We’re told the rear
five-link suspension allows for long spring-travel as well as more effectively
smoothing out vibrations and noise. If that’s true, it could yet prove worthy
of the GT name
BMW
wants the GT to be both dynamic and comfortable, even without the optional
adaptive dampers.
Bring the family
This car could achieve what no 3 Series has
truly managed: accommodate a family with overnight gear. At 4.8m, the GT is
200mm longer than a saloon and falls just 75mm shy of a Five. The 520- liter
boot is bigger than a Touring’s and there’s more rear legroom than in a 5
Series
