FACEOFF: The All-New BMW 3-Series Unmasks Itself BUT Is Its New Look One Upping The Audi A4?

If you've been anywhere near an automotive news site in the past week, likely you would know by now that today the BMW 3-Series unveiled itself.

Considering the 3'er is the top-selling vehicle in the entry-level premium class, it's a big deal. Even more so, it is easily one of the most recognizable and iconic cars that is a stepping stone for many owners looking to get a taste of the German premium scene.

But before this becomes a BMW lovefest, let's inject some reality here. Audi is the hot brand now. Sure, BMW's sales volume is unreal and can't be touched by anyone but people are starting to jump ship.

And as we've reported within the past week, dealers are starting to talk and let word slip out that Audi would be giving BMW some serious trouble, if Audi could actually meet demand.

With that said, we're not going to match the all-new 3-Series up against the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. We're gonna put it head-to-head with the Audi A4.

WHICH is the BETTER looking of the two?

Is the BMW's aggressive and angrier front-end styling winning you over OR is the more curvaceous and LED-laden A4 more your style?

lv_vl - 10/14/2011 11:06:27 PM

-2 Boost

Today's summary:

1) BREAKING! EXCLUSIVE SHOT: 2012 BMW 3-Series Breaks Cover!
2) EXCLUSIVE Shots From 2012 BMW 3-Series Launch In Munich
3) VIDEO: First Look At The All New 2012 BMW 3-Series On The Video Screen
4) HOTTEST Of Hotties? All New BMW 3-Series M-Sport Shows Off What Her Mama Gave Her
5) First Photos Of The Now Best In Class 2012 BMW 3-Series Interior!
6) Everything You Want To Know About The 2012 BMW 3 Series
7) FACEOFF: The All-New BMW 3-Series Unmasks Itself BUT Is Its New Look One Upping The Audi A4?

7 out of 15 articles for today are about BMW new 3 series. What would you guys write about today if it wasn't about 3 series? :-)

BMW4me4ever - 10/15/2011 10:05:59 AM

+5 Boost

The 3-series is a big deal. For every car luxury maker involved as it is class leading. It has only won 10 best cars for about 20 years running and is the "benchmark" that every luxury carmaker competes with in the small luxury sport sedan category. So, I would think that a New Design would be important to us as potential customers and to the competition.

BMW4me4ever - 10/15/2011 10:11:16 AM

+4 Boost

Lexus designed a IS to compete with the 3-series BMW, as did Audi with the A4, as with Cadillac with the CTS, Infiniti with the G35, and so on. Everytime one the those companies brings a small entry level luxury sport sedan out there is some Magazine Article saying " Will the New Lexus IS be able to unseat BMW?" Does the Audi A4 have what it takes to compete with the 3-series ?" etc ......

BWM more 3-series than Acura TL, Cadillac CTS, Lexus IS, and probably Infiniti G35 combined in the WORLD. A new 3-series sedan is big news and a big deal...

Agent00R - 10/14/2011 11:31:29 PM

-4 Boost

What's incoherent?

Nostradamus - 10/14/2011 11:15:22 PM

-2 Boost

What 'new look'?

The new 3-series simply looks like a slightly smaller 5-series with a little something odd added between the headlights and grill.

It's Ok... but hardly anything groundbreaking, or even very interesting.

MercedesSL - 10/15/2011 7:58:35 AM

+3 Boost

I dont think the 3 and 5 look alike at all.

Lexus - 10/14/2011 11:26:56 PM

-2 Boost

I think the Audi A4 look way better. They really mess it up this time when they made the headlights look all weird and stuff.

motor1 - 10/15/2011 12:25:28 AM

+1 Boost

The front of the new 3 looks disproportionate in comparison with the rest of its body. Like, the 1 Series' headlights look bigger to me. In the shots I've seen, it kind of looks good in some colours or with different trims, but looks ugly with others. Whereas I think the Audi A4 looks great with whatever you option it and with any colour. For the price being paid, the new 3 should look great in whatever model line and colour, not just a handful of combinations. If I was in the market for getting a 3 next year, I would take a highly spec-ed E90 over a new F30.

cs4444 - 10/15/2011 7:54:19 AM

+5 Boost

The A4 looks dated. I think the 3 series looks much nicer, It has a sportier and much more dynamic design.

DownRightBloggable - 10/15/2011 8:02:15 AM

+4 Boost

3 series

JustaCar - 10/15/2011 8:09:44 AM

-2 Boost

The new 3 is an improvement over the outgoing one but I don't think it trumps the A4. The tall rear deck is a dated look and should have been changed. The shut line on the leading edge of the hood makes the front look unsorted. The interior, which Agent001 so boldly (and prematurely) declared best in class breaks no new ground and looks cluttered overall. The instrument cluster in particular looks dated compared to the A4's.

t_bone - 10/15/2011 10:22:48 AM

-1 Boost

I can now live with the nasty Audi headlamps. Better than the whole car looking incoherent and cluttered--inside and out.

JRobUSC - 10/15/2011 11:27:15 AM

+5 Boost

In that particular photo I'd say the 3-Series looks much better. It looks aggressive and new and makes the A4 look plain. But that's based only on that particular photo, I haven't seen the 3-Series in person and in real life the A4 is a very classy looking vehicle.

I95SPEEDINGTICKETS - 10/15/2011 7:16:41 PM

+1 Boost

I dislike the Rear of the A4
I dislike the Front of the New 3-Series

I prefer the Driving Dynamics of BMWs 3-Series over the last 10 years so will probably like this one as well.

I prefer the interior ergonomics of the Audis of the last 8 years so will probably prefer the A4 interior.

Its never going to be an easy choice.

chewy - 10/15/2011 7:33:59 PM

-2 Boost

The A4 is going to get a sharper front pretty soon as well for a true comparison.

JRobUSC - 10/16/2011 10:34:32 AM

+3 Boost

yeah but we already know exactly what it will look like, since we've already seen the new A6 and A8.

iamdabest1 - 10/16/2011 11:59:14 PM

+1 Boost

if audi had lease programs as good as bmw, maybe bmw would be in trouble, till then audi cant touch bmw..

Yonder7 - 10/17/2011 8:00:06 AM

-2 Boost

Current Audi looks better than the new 3...is a fact. Now wait for the general opinion , they will decide if this is a fail or a triumph.

PQ40 - 10/17/2011 8:18:03 AM

+4 Boost

The 3 series looks much better IMO. Audi has exhausted its current design, the A4 looks boring.

1dott8 - 10/17/2011 2:04:46 PM

-2 Boost

I'll take the A4 any day over the 3 series unless we're talking about handeling.