SPIED: Is The All-New BMW 3-Series GT Too Similar Looking To The 5-Series GT For Its Own Good?

If there's one vehicle in BMW's history that has to wear the badge of worst idea ever, or, "Ugliest BMW, ever" it easily can be awarded to the 5-Series GT. It was a vehicle so ugly that even sleuths said: "Wow, that's bad."

One would think that BMW would take its sales figures, which were really poor towards the end, and say "Yeah, this was a bad idea, let's pretend it didn't happen."

But no, BMW has doubled down on a bad bet and is working its way towards a 3-Series GT as can be seen in the spy shots. At first we thought, let's give it a fair shot as there's some heavy camouflage that could be distorting things.

Well, now the heavy cladding is off. An in all honesty, they probably should have kept it ON.

So, I've got to ask: Is BMW's upcoming 3-Series GT going to sell like hotcakes or should it be relegated to a cage in a dark, cold basement?


BMW maintains that the sometimes maligned 5-Series GT is a good seller despite the public perception, so much so that a scaled down 3-Series iteration has been under development for some time. Now it seems the development of this car is nearing the point of public release and so BMW has dropped the typical body cladding and now only covers the car up in a minimal amount of camouflage tape.

While the general shape of this car has been known to follow the 5-Series GT lines, what has not been known until now are the details. First and foremost, this car should not be confused with the upcoming 4-Series Gran Coupe. The 4-Series GC will be a 'four door coupe' in a similar fashion to the 6-Series Gran Coupe, while this car takes a decidedly more utilitarian take on the concept of a cross-over vehicle with a taller roof and larger trunk. It is as the marketing folks remind us, a car designed for the person who wants a 3-series sized vehicle, needs the utility of wagon but doesn't actually want to own a wagon...

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ChiAutoGuy - 8/29/2012 10:42:12 AM

+3 Boost

BMW needs to stop hiring former Pontiac Aztec Designers....

GermanNut - 8/29/2012 11:04:12 AM

-5 Boost

The BMW 3-Series GT will be a BIG LOSER just like its 5-Series GT sibling.

BMW is losing its edge in driving dynamics and now design.

CEO of BMW North America, Jim O'Donnell, admitted the 5-Series was a mistake:

http://www.worldcarfans.com/111052333613/bmw-5-series-gt---officially-a-mistake

When will BMW learn that creating more models for the sake of creating more models is not a good strategy. People must want buy the car you are creating and, in the case of the 5-Series GT, far fewer people wanted to buy the car than BMW expected.

bmwm6 - 8/29/2012 11:31:51 AM

+5 Boost

lol, just because a vehicle isn’t targeted toward them people label it an atrocity. Since when is having more options a bad thing? BMW still makes the 1,3,5, and 7 series coupes and sedans we love, and obviously the stunning M cars. Keep buying the ones you like…they all do not have to appeal to you. I know this vehicle will never appeal to the internet auto forum crowd, but it will be very popular in European, Asian, and a certain demographics in the US. But of course Germanut dosent care, he is just an Audi troll, bashing anything BMW..

GermanNut - 8/29/2012 11:05:27 AM

-4 Boost

The 5-Series GT was a mistake in terms of design and sales. The 3-Series GT will be no different.

wac77 - 8/29/2012 4:19:08 PM

+4 Boost

I've seen the car in person, without camo, and it looks better than its 5GT big brother. Not beautiful, but acceptable. I would not buy one(like most people in the USA, I would not consider a hatchback at this level), but I think it would do well in markets where hatchbacks are better appreciated.

skytop - 8/30/2012 1:02:42 PM

+1 Boost

They really don't look that alike in person. The size, proportion and presence is dramatically different between the 3 and 5 cars.

BMW has always maintained a synergy and 'theme' of design betweeen their various models. This is a decades old styling decision probably made to give their products recognizeable identity. It is a good thing to have sibling resemblence. You don't want any bastard red heads sneaking into the mix!

The question is really foolish. Are you writers devoid of material to examine and question. Is this the best you can come up with?

JUGNU - 8/30/2012 3:06:22 PM

+1 Boost

Just don't like this form factor. The BMW's version of GT is very ugly and it is unfortunate that this ugly form factor wears the GT badge. Rear 3/4 styling is one of the worst i have seen.