If ever there was an award for the carmaker which introduced the greatest number of niche products, I reckon BMW would be a podium contender.
The German manufacturer seems to have a penchant for creating new segments, with ranges like the X6 Sports Activity Vehicle and 5 Series Gran Turismo being classic examples.
The 5 GT, based on BMW’s 7 Series platform, certainly isn’t the prettiest car in the BMW stable, with local sales figures surely giving the BMW bosses sleepless nights.
So it was surprising that product planners in Munich chose to apply the floundering GT recipe to the latest 3 Series range.
FIVE-DOOR HATCH
In terms of design BMW has basically turned a regular 3 Series sedan into a five-door hatch, making it more practical space-wise for the family buyer. The longer body and wheelbase translates into 70mm more rear legroom and 520 litres of lugging room – 40 litres better than the 3 Series sedan. Drop those back seats and you have an impressive 1600 litres to play with.
To accommodate the rear design tweaks the 3 GT gets a higher roof, which seems to blend in better than it does in the 5 GT. Where the 5 GT looks bulky and quite different to the 5 sedan, the 3 GT looks like a more mature and, dare I say it, elegant version of the regular 3.
The 3 GT shape, with that coupé-like sloping roofline (and frameless doors) grows on you.
It’s clear that a fair amount of time was spent designing that new rear end, with attention to detail including underfloor storage (but no spare tyre in favour of runflats), a powere-operated tailgate and various adjustments for the angle of the rear bench depending on your shopping requirements.
I’m not a fan of the plastic boot cover though; it’s a bit finicky to click back into place should you remove it.
Some cool options in this area include a button which will remotely flatten the rear seat, and another that allows the bootlid to raise with a swipe of your foot under the rear bumper.
On test here is the 320d GT which, as the badge implies (this is more the exception than the rule these days), runs a two-litre turbodiesel good for 135kW and 380Nm.
It’s not the most powerful engine in the range, but in terms of torque and fuel eonomy it’s damn near perfect.
BMW reckons this turbodiesel will sprint from standstill to 100km/h in eight seconds. In Sport+ mode, with that sharp eight-speed gearbox, I think they’re pretty much spot on. The 3 GT is by no means a small car, but this engine pulls it along with real zest.
In-gear acceleration is especially tasty, and the 6.7 litres per 100km consumption figure we recorded (BMW claims 4.9) is palatable for the package.
The handling is good too. The 3 GT feels no bigger than the sedan from the driver’s seat, and in the sportier driving modes it sharpens up the response of the steering, suspension and throttle (the sport display which shows power and torque readings is a nice touch).
PLANTED AND CONFIDENT
That typical 3 Series 50/50 weight distribution carries over in the GT, and even with slightly more ground clearance than the sedan the GT felt planted and confident through the corners (we had the optional Adaptive M suspension setup, which helped further). The engineers have also thrown in an adaptive rear spoiler for greater downforce at higher speeds, and air intakes designed specifically for sharper aerodynamics.
The Eco-Pro driving mode, on the other hand, dulls the car’s senses to the point that it becomes almost sluggish.
The consumption we achieved was in Normal and Sport modes, and is probably the most natural mode for the car (the steering can feel over-assisted in the Normal mode though - Sport offers a more weighted feel).
And don’t waste your time with the steering paddles.
Firstly it’s a diesel with short gearing, meaning the gearbox is far more efficient than you are, and secondly, manual mode won’t hold the gear for you anyway.
The eight-cogger is nicely in-tune with the engine, easily finding the best gear when needed - there’s really no need for adult supervision.
The 3 GT gets a higher seating position, but this wasn’t really noticeable. More obvious was the generosity in terms of rear legroom and boot space, which are similer to bigger Beemers in the range.
VERDICT
It’s really all about a bigger 3 Series for the family. If you can live with the looks, you’re getting a package that has more space but still feels like a 3 Series sedan to drive. The extra room comes at a price however, with the 320d GT auto, at R457 923, costing almost forty grand more than the sedan equivalent. - Star Motoring
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