BMW M3 Sedan to be Cancelled, 3-Series GT for 2013 - report

 BMW M3 Sedan to be Cancelled, 3-Series GT for 2013 - report
BMW 5-Series PAS Artists Rendering - 1300 - 28.11.2008 / Copyright: Larson

BMW will be cancelling the BMW M3 Sedan when the next generation 3-series, codenamed F30, is released, according to Automobile Magazine.  The company will continue to sell the M3 as both a coupe and convertible, with each getting a straight-six 3.0-liter twin-turbo engine producing 450 horsepower (336 kW, 456 PS).

In addition, the magazine says that the company will put the 3er Gran Turismo on the market from March 2013.  That date coincides with the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.  The GT will be one of five body styles for the car, including the sedan, wagon, coupe, and convertible, all due out between March 2012 and 2014.  A shooting brake variant could also be released down the line.

Like the wagon, the GT3 is expected to get a long wheelbase providing more cargo space and legroom.  A panoramic sliding glass roof may also be optionally available for both vehicles.

For the 3-Series, BMW will use four cylinder petrol and diesel engines that are both more powerful and fuel efficient than previous models.  Engines range from 136 horsepower (101 kW, 138 PS) to 252 hp (188 kW, 256 PS).

Artist rendering used for illustrative purposes only.

Source: automobilemag.com

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 Mikeado Mikeado
What's wrong with a 4-door M3? If it's due to lack of sales, that's just because they chose to release it after everyone interested had got a coupe version instead. But what do I know? Clearly the majority of people would happily see an I-don't-know-what-I-want 'Gran Turismo' version rather than a benchmark performance saloon.
March 23, 2010 1:30 pm
 joshg_5 joshg_5
That was put nicely.
March 23, 2010 9:33 pm
 Douglas6250 Douglas6250
Oh no..... The M3 evolved from Inline 6 to V8, now back to Straight 6 again, with diluted spirit, featuring turbos... no more high revving N/A engines!!!!
March 23, 2010 1:34 pm
 joelynn joelynn
if theres a wagon, and this GT (a hatchback basically) then what will this shooting brake be? The GT is stupid because it is just an ugly hatchback version- not a coupe-saloon like a CLS
March 23, 2010 1:59 pm
 CDspeed CDspeed
These new BMW GTs are not competing against the CLS there meant to be an SUV alternative. And I'm guessing you've never seen one they're actually good looking in person. When you do see one keep in mind it's not a sports sedan it's a utility vehicle.
March 23, 2010 2:28 pm
 joelynn joelynn
i have seen a 5 series GT and personally i dont like it. If anyone else produced a dubiously styled giant hatchback and charged a huge amount for it then no-one would buy it but because it has that magic blue and white sign its okay. Are you really comfortable with the idea the legendary M3 will become a bloated SUV-rivalling hatchback?
March 24, 2010 1:01 am
 sideskraper sideskraper
Shooting brake will be like the GT but with two doors and the boot hatch.
March 24, 2010 4:53 am
 BavarianMS BavarianMS
This article stating " 4-door M3 canceled" is pretty stupid. The E9x M3 life cycle will end in 2013 and 14 worst case scenario. The 4 door M3 still remains to be one of the best sedans on the market. Out of all the E9x M3s on the road, the coupes have been seen 2x as much as the 4-door's though.
March 23, 2010 2:42 pm
 joshg_5 joshg_5
I agree. It's misleading. It should say something like "No Sedan for F30 M3".
March 23, 2010 9:44 pm
 BrianWCF BrianWCF
The title is not misleading! Generally speaking, non BMW enthusiasts aren't going to know what an F30 M3 is. First sentence in the article, "BMW will be cancelling the BMW M3 Sedan when the next generation 3-series, codenamed F30..." That's pretty clear. I don't like making titles too technical because it turns people off.
March 24, 2010 12:16 am
 joshg_5 joshg_5
LOL, Brian is right. That would be too technical...
March 24, 2010 9:15 am
 clash_189 clash_189
For marketing perspective, lack of sales (the coupe reaaly outselling the sedan variant maybe 2 or 3 : 1) can be a clear reason why BMW decided to take this way. Moreover, may in the future BMW will offer an update for "35i" series by boosting it to 340 and "si" with almost 380 hp, then it will be quite stupid to purchase a M3 saloon as it will not get the same weight saving as the coupe will. Yeah I also think that "gt" is not too bad (it actually looks good but don't consider it to be a hell exotic performance car, it is not a car, it is a monster; though it still has 5 seats instead of 4 like the sportback variant). Hope the directors board will accept the shooting brake's proposal, it must be a good answer to shut up people who don't like gt variant.
March 23, 2010 3:04 pm
 sub39h sub39h
well considering that they're making the saloon, and they're making the engine for the coupe anyway, it doesn't seem like much extra work would be needed to slot the engine into the saloon. i mean i know they had to change the front end this time around, but better planning would avoid that in the future
March 23, 2010 3:14 pm
 joshg_5 joshg_5
"Yeah I also think that "gt" is not too bad (it actually looks good but don't consider it to be a hell exotic performance car, it is not a car, it is a monster; though it still has 5 seats instead of 4 like the sportback variant). " Are you talking about the 5GT or the 3GT? If the 3GT, then I have to strongly disagree. The proportions of this car are immense, and frankly obnoxious.
March 23, 2010 9:38 pm
 norther norther
i really hope they dont ruin the 3series too, with the "gt" body. but to cancel the m3 sedan that is stupid. they should cancel the 5series gt and use the money to make the new m3 sedan.
March 23, 2010 3:10 pm
 CDspeed CDspeed
They should cancel either the X3 or X1, What company needs two entry level SUVs?
March 23, 2010 3:20 pm
 BavarianMS BavarianMS
I would say similar things, but it seems like these other lower entry SUV's are selling well. They are getting common on the road so that means they are doing what they were designed to do.
March 23, 2010 4:36 pm
 trevtremaine trevtremaine
I've seen the 5 series GT and can say that it doesn't look as bad in person as in photos. That said, it still requires the question as to "why produce something that doesn't have ANY relevancy?". Has anyone seen a 5GT on the road since it's launch?! It's FAT, bland, underperforming and under-whelming. Now BMW is preparing to launch another misfit with the 3 series. At least keep the sedan and axe both the 5GT and the board members who approved this decision! Mark my words - BMW styling is rapidly becoming synonymous with failure soon to be followed by "defunct" and "bankrupt". What a joke BMW is becoming!
March 23, 2010 5:17 pm
 joshg_5 joshg_5
Will you be my friend?
March 23, 2010 9:36 pm
 motorsport13 motorsport13
WTF is wrong with BMW, im not a fanboy but I wanted a m3 saloon so bad..oh well I guess i?ll get an used one. but srsly why cancel de M3 saloon why not axe the X1,X3,X6,X6M,X5M,5GT,3GT,hell even the m3 convertible
March 23, 2010 6:19 pm
 schizo schizo
I guess the people that wanted a high performance 4 dr saloon preferred the lazy driving (in a good if you just want to cruise around comfortably with out a big fuss lazy way) characteristis of the C63 over the M3 Saloon.
March 23, 2010 8:08 pm
 GMW GMW
Don't underestimate the C63. It's faster, sounds waaayy better, and is a sharp handler. Definately not lazy! I would guess on a very twisty track, driver's being equal, that the M3 would beat it but on tracks with longer stretches or more importantly, on real world roads the C63 wins hands down. More torque (and HP) for very quick acceleration, better sound from the exhaust and sharp handling means it is an excellent car for driving on the public roads. Which I believe is where the majority of such owners drive these cars.:-)
March 23, 2010 10:05 pm
 GMW GMW
Don't underestimate the C63. It's faster, sounds waaayy better, and is a sharp handler. Definately not lazy! I would guess on a very twisty track, driver's being equal, that the M3 would beat it but on tracks with longer stretches or more importantly, on real world roads the C63 wins hands down. More torque (and HP) for very quick acceleration, better sound from the exhaust and sharp handling means it is an excellent car for driving on the public roads. Which I believe is where the majority of such owners drive these cars.:-)
March 23, 2010 10:22 pm
 DeepBlu_R32 DeepBlu_R32
that sucks I really like the current ////M3 Sedan (and the 5 Series GT is ugly cow w/ a fat as*)
March 23, 2010 8:52 pm
 justanotherfan justanotherfan
That is just fucking stupid, the M3 sedan is amazing, they'll just ruin the M3 with their weird pointless ideas, the guy who decided this should be fired
March 23, 2010 9:19 pm
 joshg_5 joshg_5
The M3 Sedan was IMO the nicest of the 3 variants. That is on the current generation. I'm sure the next generation (sedan) will grow immensely, as the trend seems to be these days, with a longer wheelbase than is coupe sibling. And I'm sure even I wouldn't want to see an M badge on a massive 3-series sedan of those proportions... I also have to include the FACT that the E30 IS rolling in it's grave right now. It's rolling so hard it's having a seizure and choking on it's own tongue. The car in the picture here (if supposed to be the F30) is so huge, it legitimately looks bigger than the E39 5-series! God, I miss when cars were "small"...
March 23, 2010 9:35 pm
 ifudge ifudge
BMW please get a reality check. Regroup and stop making pointless cars. Get rid of X6, do only X1 or X3 not both, don't do any of these GT's, nor any shooting brake variants of anything. Instead work on a proper supercar to put the R8 and SLS to shame and keep an M3 saloon.
March 23, 2010 10:11 pm
 ifudge ifudge
BMW please get a reality check. Regroup and stop making pointless cars. Get rid of X6, do only X1 or X3 not both, don't do any of these GT's, nor any shooting brake variants of anything. Instead work on a proper supercar to put the R8 and SLS to shame and keep an M3 saloon.
March 23, 2010 10:11 pm
 Aesthetics Aesthetics
bmw's marketing department has exhausted the M3 brand or M motorsport division in general so now they come up with this
March 23, 2010 10:51 pm
 awhk awhk
BMW is just not what they used to be anymore. This is sad.
March 24, 2010 12:32 am
 9TNine 9TNine
Shame...! I was really looking forward to the next Top Gear - 2011 BMW M3 4-door v 2011 Toyota Prius
March 24, 2010 12:48 am
 MTC MTC
why? if I got the money, I gonna buy a M3 sedan in a heartbeat, it's like the M3 to buy for me
March 24, 2010 4:17 am
 sideskraper sideskraper
That may be the problem, too many people who say "If I had the money" and not enough who actually have the money.
March 24, 2010 4:55 am
 sideskraper sideskraper
This is a shame. I guess the 30-40 yr old male cosmopolitan professionals who are the M3's primary demographic just don't see value in being sensible and having a set of back doors. I'm sure we'll see a M version of the GT
March 24, 2010 4:58 am
 silver_stig silver_stig
The GT is fugly!
March 24, 2010 7:24 am
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