MANILA, Philippines - They say you shouldn’t fix something that ain’t broken; but for BMW, they find ways to make it better. Case in point: the all-new 3-series Gran Turismo (GT). The 3GT is a remarkable spinoff of the phenomenal BMW 3 Series range, except this time it exploits the dynamics of a sports sedan and combines these assets with the spaciousness and versatility of a touring car. This new line will be available locally as the 320d GT—wielding a 2.0L in-line 4-cylinder diesel engine with its award-winning BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology, and mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. And undeniably, its introduction into the market will play its role as a game-changer in the premium sports sedan segment.
“The new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo exudes the performance of a sports sedan, but at the same time offers immense practicality and extra space that can be used in many ways—making it the only model of its kind in its segment,†explained Maricar Parco, President of Asian Carmakers Corporation, the official importer and distributor of BMW vehicles in the Philippines—during the official launch party held at Bonifacio Global City last early this month.
One of the main differences of the GT from its sedan variant is its 200mm increase in length—paving the way to accommodate an extra 110mm in its wheelbase, and consequently providing immaculate passenger legroom. Its body is right about the perfect length to maintain an attractive, coupe-style downward-sloping roofline, and its new, active rear spoiler (that can be engaged manually or automatically, upon reaching highway speeds) is a delightful touch that accentuates its sporty vibe.
The frameless windows are graceful and upscale, but more than anything, their assembly is smooth and impeccably flush—as if they were almost just one piece of glass running continuously through the front and rear doors – thus making it impressively aerodynamic. The GT also stands 81mm taller and is available in three lines: Luxury, Modern and Sport.
To emphasize how the GT has become the overachiever, it showcases a whopping 52L of boot space—providing more volume for storage, even compared to the Touring. Its large load aperture and high, automatic tailgate make loading and unloading straightforward and easy. Attention to detail is exceptional, as it also incorporates convenient interior lighting (via strategically-placed LED strips). Other niceties in the boot include handles positioned on each side, ready to clasp grocery or shopping bags so they don’t move all over the place while in transit.
The 3GT offers nothing less than a plush interior, with ambience and design motif depending on whether you get the modern, luxury or sport line. Nevertheless they are all consistent in their high-end material combinations and exude that delightfully premium overall feel that is typical of BMW.
And consistent with its thrust for greener mobility, the 3GT certainly still carries its auto start-stop feature, brake energy regeneration, an ECO PRO mode (which is user-activated), intelligent lightweight construction, and as earlier mentioned, features further-optimized aerodynamics via its sleek design, strategically placed fins, air breathers and active rear spoiler.
Finally, the BMW 3GT offers an extensive selection of driver assistance systems and mobility solutions via its proprietary BMW ConnectedDrive program. It also exploits an efficient interface technology that allows the extensive use of external mobile phones and likewise, an array of Bluetooth functions.
All three lines are sold at the same price of P3,890,000.