New renderings of the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo emerged in the UK-based magazine AutoExpress. Even though the publication is mostly known for its exaggeration in portraying some of the upcoming vehicles, they managed to capture some details of the 3 Series GT. One thing that got wrong is the name: they refer to the 3 GT as BMW 4 Series.
According to our sources, the proportions are similar to the production car. Without any clear spy shots so far, rendering artists are having a difficult time capturing the fine details. We did learn that at the front-end, the LED headlights are close to the final product, a combination the lights seen on the 3 and 5 Series.
From a design standpoint, we expect the 3 Series Gran Turismo to feature some design cues seen on the bigger 5 GT, with a hatch and a raised ride height. The 3 Series GT will offer similar attributes and design ideas as the 5 GT, but with a more attractive and sleeker lines. The car has a high belt line that completely wraps around the car, therefore allowing the roof to be lower and sleeker.
The core idea of a Gran Turismo vehicle remains, traveling in style and luxury, but without sacrificing performance. Internally the 3GT is referred as the “Progressive Activity Coupe.” BMW calls this prototype “Progressive Activity Coupe” because of the way the roof slopes down at the rear, but instead of a larger glass area as in a Touring, there is an additional quarter light and a wrap around tailgate. The rear end is a combination of Touring and a Shooting Brake.
BMW sees the rumored 3 Series Gran Turismo as “the alternative to alternatives, a style conscious car with the dynamic prowess to match its looks.”
The BMW 3 Series GT comes to fill a niche, a void space between the 3 Series Touring and 5 Series GT, and just as its larger brother, it will be a premium vehicle with luxurious design cues as seen on the 5 Series.
BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo will make its official debut in 2012 and even though not confirmed by BMW, we anticipate a U.S. version as well.
Author: Horatiu Boeriu
Source: http://www.bmwblog.com/2011/05/05/new-r ... n-turismo/