BMW 2-Series & M2
- Thread starter AudiMan2011
- 567 comments
- 53,819 views
The Vanishing Boy
Premium
- 9,000
- Quezon City, Philippines & Las Vegas, NV
- GTP_VanishingBoy
- Vanishing Boy
^ It's basically a BMW-speak for 4-door coupes. Here is my favorite by far:
-> But a 2-series Gran Coupe would be money for BMW.
^ This very car will give the A3/S3 and the CLA a run for its money! Since there are no true RWD entry level sedan, please the 320i (in North America) does not count. I can imagine the line up:
- 220i Gran Coupe
- 228i X-Drive Gran Coupe
- M235i Gran Coupe
- M2 Gran Coupe
-> But a 2-series Gran Coupe would be money for BMW.
^ This very car will give the A3/S3 and the CLA a run for its money! Since there are no true RWD entry level sedan, please the 320i (in North America) does not count. I can imagine the line up:
- 220i Gran Coupe
- 228i X-Drive Gran Coupe
- M235i Gran Coupe
- M2 Gran Coupe
- 17,115
- United Kingdom
- 5,065
- Fort Worth
- That_sneaky_azN
How does the 320i not count?^ It's basically a BMW-speak for 4-door coupes. Here is my favorite by far:
-> But a 2-series Gran Coupe would be money for BMW.
^ This very car will give the A3/S3 and the CLA a run for its money! Since there are no true RWD entry level sedan, please the 320i (in North America) does not count. I can imagine the line up:
- 220i Gran Coupe
- 228i X-Drive Gran Coupe
- M235i Gran Coupe
- M2 Gran Coupe
McLaren
Premium
- 45,447
- Texas
I want to say I don't really see the point of a 2 Series GranCoupe, but then again, this is the company that split the 3 Series family into 4 doors with the 4 Series being for 2 doors, only to later on...build a 4-door 4 Series that's just a little sharper looking than a 4-door 3 Series.
Love the company & their cars, but it's changed a lot in the last 20 years I've been around their cars.
The Vanishing Boy though, listing what is possibly the best looking BMW in the last several years with the i8 & actually made some sort of sense with getting the 4-door use of a M5 & the gorgeous looks of the M6. The rest of the GranCoupes don't really have that going for them with BMW sharing a similar design across the model range.
Love the company & their cars, but it's changed a lot in the last 20 years I've been around their cars.
The Vanishing Boy though, listing what is possibly the best looking BMW in the last several years with the i8 & actually made some sort of sense with getting the 4-door use of a M5 & the gorgeous looks of the M6. The rest of the GranCoupes don't really have that going for them with BMW sharing a similar design across the model range.
- 10,818
- Plymouth, UK
- motorforum
That the 3GT and 4GC exist and differ in mere details always makes me laugh. The GT concept is appalling. It's as daft as the Golf Plus.
Compared to the A5 Sportback which really is just a four-door Coupe and its own sibling the 6GC, the 4er version is a poor wretch, neither sporting enough or luxurious in design.
Compared to the A5 Sportback which really is just a four-door Coupe and its own sibling the 6GC, the 4er version is a poor wretch, neither sporting enough or luxurious in design.
- 17,115
- United Kingdom
I know Americans and Europeans often view these things differently, but the there is no 4-door 4-er. Even if there was no other difference, in the 3-er Saloon and the 4-er Gran Coupe, the Gran Coupe offers a 5 door lift-back... this has been a popular practice (at least in Europe) for decades.
I guess they are just "mere" details, but they add up to a different package. 3GT, compared to the 4GC; is longer, with longer wheelbase so much more space for passengers. It has a taller body, along with higher ride height which offers a more spacious cabin (i.e. more headroom and shoulder room) and a higher seating position. And it can swallow more luggage than any comparable seat configuration in the 4GC. I don't see how that makes it appalling? It makes it the most practical car in the 3/4 series family.
The A5 Sportback is a 5 door lift-back, exactly the same as the 4GC. I'd be surprised if it manages to be more sporting than a 4GC, given its FWD basis... but I guess along with it's styling, that's open to some subjectivity.
I would have preferred to see BMW take the 4GC down the same route as the 6GC, and make it a true 4-door, but I guess they felt they could sell more if it had a more usable boot.
- 17,115
- United Kingdom
Well, the GT is for a more usable boot, and more passenger space, and a 'semi-command' driving position... else the standard Touring model 3-er would probably suffice.
I'd agree with that to a point, like I said, I'd rather they'd have kept it as a 4-dr. They are basically a similar concept, but with emphasis on different areas, and given how the GT and GC concepts both came about and evolved, I think both are a logical, perhaps not ideal, conclusion. But, I'm not offended by the name or designation to be honest - to me it's the F36 anyway
There's talk of combining the models for the Gxx 3/4-er. I don't really agree they should do that, but I'm curious to see if they did, how well it would be received, and if it would equal 3GT+4GC sales.Anyhow... on the subject of the 2-er... all this talk of a Gran Coupe won't come to fruition until the next generation anyway, by which time, BMW's entire sub 3 series line-up will be undergoing quite a bit of re-jigging.
- 17,115
- United Kingdom
- 27,387
- Toronto
- NewAesthetic
- SlipZtrEm
Ford didn't need a bunch of extra names for the body styles on the Mondeo. 4-door, 5-door, wagon. The current 3/4-series lineup is utterly silly to people not well-versed in the church of BMW. The 4GC is barely different from the regular 3 sedan in all measurements, other than a ~50kg penalty. As someone pretty well-versed on minute detail changes, even I have a hard time telling a 4GC from a 3 unless I see the telltale vent behind the front wheels.
The 3GT, meanwhile, does offer more storage space than the regular sedan... which should be expected, since it's closer in size to a modern 528i than the "compact" 3-series. It also takes a significant thrashing with the ugly stick, so I'm not too surprised that it's been a rare sight on the roads of Toronto, whereas the Touring is doing pretty decently.
Perhaps calling the 4GC the four-door version of the two-door version of a four-door car is inaccurate, when in reality, it's little more than a hatch'd version of the normal-trunked four-door. All for only a few thousand dollars more...
The 3GT, meanwhile, does offer more storage space than the regular sedan... which should be expected, since it's closer in size to a modern 528i than the "compact" 3-series. It also takes a significant thrashing with the ugly stick, so I'm not too surprised that it's been a rare sight on the roads of Toronto, whereas the Touring is doing pretty decently.
Perhaps calling the 4GC the four-door version of the two-door version of a four-door car is inaccurate, when in reality, it's little more than a hatch'd version of the normal-trunked four-door. All for only a few thousand dollars more...
The Vanishing Boy
Premium
- 9,000
- Quezon City, Philippines & Las Vegas, NV
- GTP_VanishingBoy
- Vanishing Boy
-> ...
-> Although the 320i is a very tempting buy. And it becomes sweeter when equipped with the "Jalopnik" spec package.
^ But in all honesty, even with the social-climbing age of today, nobody wants a "bare-bones/underpowered" BMW 3-series. But a well-equipped 2-series is a better buy, price-wise.
^ The 3er is a different class size (and under-equipped wise) compared to the A3/S3 & CLA sedans. The 320i is more of a base-level A4, C-class, IS, etc. competitor.
-> Although the 320i is a very tempting buy. And it becomes sweeter when equipped with the "Jalopnik" spec package.
^ But in all honesty, even with the social-climbing age of today, nobody wants a "bare-bones/underpowered" BMW 3-series. But a well-equipped 2-series is a better buy, price-wise.
- 17,115
- United Kingdom
I think that attitude may be true in the US, but probably isn't as true for the other 80% of BMW's market.
The Vanishing Boy
Premium
- 9,000
- Quezon City, Philippines & Las Vegas, NV
- GTP_VanishingBoy
- Vanishing Boy
-> ...
-> I was in Manila last April and it was not the case, the 1-series (one of my unicorn wants) is very prevalent over there. Although it was mostly the usual E87 118i and 120i, I've only seen the drool-worthy 130i once!
-> As is in NA, the PI does not have much of a variety of models available as it does in Europe. But unlike in the NA, if you really want a M135i 3 [F21] or 5-door [F20]...BMW Philippines will gladly order one for you, tailor-made too!
^ I agree on the skewed-ness of the North American market.
-> I was in Manila last April and it was not the case, the 1-series (one of my unicorn wants) is very prevalent over there. Although it was mostly the usual E87 118i and 120i, I've only seen the drool-worthy 130i once!
-> As is in NA, the PI does not have much of a variety of models available as it does in Europe. But unlike in the NA, if you really want a M135i 3 [F21] or 5-door [F20]...BMW Philippines will gladly order one for you, tailor-made too!
- 5,065
- Fort Worth
- That_sneaky_azN
180 HP is hardly even underpowered for a base 3-series to be honest.-> ...
^ The 3er is a different class size (and under-equipped wise) compared to the A3/S3 & CLA sedans. The 320i is more of a base-level A4, C-class, IS, etc. competitor.
-> Although the 320i is a very tempting buy. And it becomes sweeter when equipped with the "Jalopnik" spec package.
^ But in all honesty, even with the social-climbing age of today, nobody wants a "bare-bones/underpowered" BMW 3-series. But a well-equipped 2-series is a better buy, price-wise.
- 5,065
- Fort Worth
- That_sneaky_azN
The Vanishing Boy
Premium
- 9,000
- Quezon City, Philippines & Las Vegas, NV
- GTP_VanishingBoy
- Vanishing Boy
^ For the "spec-sheet car enthusiast", it is underpowered. But for a vehicle that is less than 3300 lbs, RWD, turbo torque, and 6MT is more than enough for the "joy-seeker car enthusiast" on which is I am.
-> Don't get me wrong, I like the 320i very much. I just voicing out the opinions of the would-be buyers.
-> Don't get me wrong, I like the 320i very much. I just voicing out the opinions of the would-be buyers.
- 8,210
- Drayton Bassett, North Warwickshire
- Duffers999
- Clark Duffy
@The Vanishing Boy Nice to see that you think my car is 'drool worthy' 
- 5,065
- Fort Worth
- That_sneaky_azN
"Spec-sheet car enthusiasts" exist?^ For the "spec-sheet car enthusiast", it is underpowered. But for a vehicle that is less than 3300 lbs, RWD, turbo torque, and 6MT is more than enough for the "joy-seeker car enthusiast" on which is I am.
-> Don't get me wrong, I like the 320i very much. I just voicing out the opinions of the would-be buyers.
The87Dodge
(Banned)
- 3,186
- Seattle, WA
- rizkeat
Similar threads
