SPIED: FIRST Pics Of The Next-Gen BMW 3-Series — Will Take Creative License From The 5-Series

The new 7 looked like the old 7...the new 5 looks like the old 5...I'm thinking the new 3 will look like the old one.

I've been rooting for BMW lately in hopes that they don't let Merc get ahead too far. Competition is always good.

"Creative license". Kind of an ironic statement since there seems to be no creativity lately going on in Stuttgart.

And didn't the 5 Series borrower from the 3 Series first?

BMW's 3-Series sales fell 52% last month in the U.S. market and are down 28% YTD. Buyers are clearly tired of the current model. Unfortunately for BMW it looks like the new 3-Series will be little changed from the current 3-Series. However, this shouldn't surprise anyone given that the new 7-Series and 5-Series look just like their older versions.

The sales data indicate BMW needs to make bigger changes to its current model than what is shown here. Failure to do so, will likely result in very weak 3-Series sales. Given the 3-Series is BMW's best-selling model, it will likely mean BMW dropping from second place to third place in global sales behind Audi.

BMW clearly has the wrong formula for its exterior design and interior appearance. After all, if BMW was on the right track in terms of giving buyers what they want, it wouldn't have fallen from 1st place in U.S. sales in 2015 to possibly 3rd place behind Mercedes-Benz and Lexus in 2016. Furthermore, BMW might end 2016 70,000 units behind Mercedes-Benz globally.

If the coming Genesis 3 Series fighter is well styled, they will be able to gain traction in the segment. With BMW, Audi, Jaguar, and Cadillac in styling ruts where their sedans are concerned, some breakout styling could gain sales.

Buyers in the 3 Series' segment are incredibly fickle and more than a few jump to whatever is the latest shiny thing.

Initially, the Giulia could be quite strong. If the abysmal quality level of Alfa Romeo has been purged, the Giulia could get Alfa some traction.

The word of the day for BMW...

"Entropy" - lack of order or predictability; gradual decline into disorder.

I forsee BMW going the way of Renault, Peugeot, Alfa Romeo, (?Mazda?), Fiat - joining the ranks of declining volume automakers whose brands no longer stand for anything - and which have sunk to that level after years of consistent, directionless management, inbred staffing, and executives who breathe their own air.

BMW should just sell itself to Honda right now - Honda would promptly shut down Mini and breathe new life into BMW.

Look at the Peugeots of 1990 just before they left the US market - that's BMW's future unless they turn the ship around.

They can start by doing the best 1/3 of their vehicles right and jettisoning the other 2/3.

Focus on 2/3/4-series, 5-series, X1, X3, X5. That's it. If BMW executed well on those and cancelled the rest of the lineup they would be better for it.

Because BMW would no longer be wasting engineering/development dollars on the i's, the 7, the 6, the X6, the X4, and the entire Mini lineup - BMW could lower prices on the remaining models and be more profitable than they are today.

BMW should be like Porsche - with a 3 or 4 distinct-models that are exceptional.

Further - BMW should sell Rolls Royce to Geeley in China (i.e. Volvo) or Tata (i.e. Jaguar/Range Rover) in India.

I'm sure if you got a look at BMW's accounts, you would see that the only profitable model lines at BMW are the 2/3/4-series, 5-series, X1, X3, and X5.

By the way, BMW's biggest engine should be the 3.0L twin-power turbo I-6. BMW's V8's, M-Series engines (V8, V10, I-6 super turbo) are so fragile, underdeveloped and prone to failure and high rates of oil-consumption within a short period of time - BMW should just get out of the 'big-engine' business - they needs to simplify.

Joke of the day - Why do 70 year old rich men spend so much time at the country club away from their wives? Because the engines of their 750iL's seized up in the parking lot.

Ha, Ha.. ask a BMW tech - many of the prior gen 750i V8's used a quart of oil every 1,000 to 2,000 miles.

With BMW working with Toyota, the latter will acquire the former.

mre30: One of the mistakes people make in predicting the future is in believing that tomorrow will be like today, just *more* so. So if BMW sales are in decline for a while, the prediction is they will continue to decline at the same rate into oblivion.

I've lost 20 lbs. of body weight in the past 5 months. Using this same mindset for prediction, I'll be weightless by the end of 2019.

Move along. Nothing to see here.