The production of the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo has been stopped, and the car will not be getting a successor
BMW had confirmed that it will not be launching a Gran Turismo fastback version of the seventh-gen 3 Series (G20), last year. Now, the German luxury automaker has decided to cease the production of the car, with the remaining stock still available for sale.
The current-gen 3 Series GT is based on the previous-gen 3 Series (F30) and positioned between the latter and the 5 Series in India. It was originally introduced as a more practical version of the car it was based on, while still retaining the stunning looks of the saloon.
The move can be attributed to the growing popularity of SUVs, as BMW’s Global Development chief Klaus Frohlich in an interview said, “people want to sit a little more upright”. It could also be a part of the cost-cutting measures that the manufacturer is taking up, which will help it save over €12 billion in costs.
BMW currently retails the 3 Series GT in India in 3 variants – 320d GT Sport, 320d Luxury Line and 330i M Sport starting from Rs 47.7 lakh, up to Rs 50.7 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom). The former two variants are offered with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel mill that has a maximum power output of 190 hp, and a 400 Nm max torque.
The 330i M Sport on the other hand, comes with a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that puts out 252 hp power and 350 Nm torque. The car is offered with a rear-wheel drive configuration and an 8-speed automatic gearbox as standard.
BMW India currently has another Gran Turismo model in its line-up – the 6 Series GT. The bigger GT sibling is offered with two diesel engines, which include a 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit that makes 190 hp/400 Nm, along with a 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine that is good for 265 hp of power and a massive 620 Nm torque.
Whereas, the 630i Luxury Line gets a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that churns out 258 hp of peak power and 400 Nm peak torque. The car is priced between Rs 75.65 lakh to Rs 87.45 Lakh (ex-showroom).