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2010 BMW 5 Series GT set to goes on sale early next year, and now BMW has turned its attention to pulling the same trick on the 3 Series, a smaller version based on the next-generation 3-series sedan is expected to be launched in 2011.
Picking up the 3-series GT moniker, the car will feature the same raised seating position and ride height as the bigger 5-series GT and will also likely adopt a two-tier rear hatch design. It will come with both RWD and xDrive AWD configurations, with power coming from a range of four and six cylinder engines. The computer generated rendering above gives us a preview of what the new car may look like, revealing that it will share the aggressive new look that’s being implemented across BMW’s lineup.
Speaking with British auto magazine AutoExpress, BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer said that the German manufacturer considers the upcoming 3 Series GT a “volume builder with which BMW can earn good money.”
Designers will be stressing the car’s coupe characteristics just as they did with the X6 and new 5-series GT. Expect to see extremely short overhangs, pumped fenders and sporty alloy wheels. Pricing will also reflect the car’s positioning above the standard 3-series on which it will be based. Along with an upcoming replacement for the X3, it will give BMW a vital rival to Audi’s A4 Avant as well as the upcoming Q3 SUV.
BMW was the top-selling brand for a full year was back in 1997. But since 2000 Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus has been sitting on top of the US luxury brand market. Now things are going to change. The king may be coming back! It’s reported that BMW has overtaken Lexus to become the best-selling premium marque in the United States so far this year.
Lexus hit high ratings in both dependability and satisfaction surveys, however, Lexus is suffering from a sales decline of 37.2% this year, according to data compiled by Autodata Corp. BMW sales are down this year as well but not as severely as those of Lexus, with the German automaker’s figures dipping 30.5% to 76,819 for the first five months of this year, which is slightly ahead of Lexus's 73,186. The worst performance luxury brands, incidentally, were Bentley and Maybach, both of which are experiencing sales declines in excess of 60%
BMW claims that dependability and enduring quality have been the reasons why they became number 1 in sales during the early part of this year with the 3-series, 5-series and X5 range making most of the sales numbers.
"We have been seeing, all year, customers remain cautious, and when they shop for premium products, they are buying brands that have a history of value, dependability and enduring quality," BMW’s U.S. chief Jim O'Donnell told The Detroit News. "This has helped sales in our core 3-series, 5-series and X5 range."
But the year is not over yet. Lexus has recently launched its new RX SUV and the new HS 250h compact hybrid is also due to hit the streets in coming months. Who will be the winner is still uncertain.
