New BMW 3 series announcement & pics

[oddlycalm]

New 3 series (http://www.autospies.com/article/index.asp?articleId=3520&categoryId=1)
Pictures at the bottom of the page. Looks like Bangle has been reigned in after the 7 series offended many longtime owners and 5 series which didn't fare much better. The new 3 ends up looking not all that different from the 2004 upgrade of the current E46. Probably too early to celebrate the forces of evil (Bangle) being defeated, but at least this car doesn't have one of the huge Bangle Butt edifices like the 5 & 7.

oc

[Rob]

Orrrrrrrrrrr, it could be that Bangle's work has finally grown on you. ;)

Seriously though, I do see a lot of Bangle's design cues in this car, especially in the areas of the headlights, hood and bodysides. I've liked most of his work, except for the rear ends of the 7-series and the Z4. This car is probably considered more of a bread-and-butter car for them so they probably didn't want to go too radical in its styling and risk losing too many sales.

[rabbit]

I clicked the link and there was this ad right under the headline:
http://m3.doubleclick.net/901847/425x260_stars_corp.gif

I thought, "Man, that thing looks exactly like a Mercedes." :shakehead :laugh:

[nrc]

I like it better than the new cow-catcher grill that Audi seems to be adding to their line.

[RacinM3]

I see a lot of the 5 and 7 in that car.

Funny thing is, I don't think Bangle designed this car nor the 5-Series.

As much as some of the designs are questionable, I have to give BMW credit for differentiating their cars from one another, rather than just making the 7 Series in Large (7), Medium (5), and Small (3).

That said, my latest vehicle purchase was a Porsche, not a BMW after many, many years (although I still have an '89 325 and an '00 528).

I'm going to let this new design philosophy shake out for a few years before I buy another BMW.

[KLang]

We got a Z4 for my wife a few months ago. Can't stand the looks of the thing but it is fun to drive. The new 3 doesn't look as bad as I thought it might.

[indyfan31]

I've never liked Beemers but they've always had unique styling queues, without any badging you could still tell what it was.
Now I'm looking at one of the rear-view pictures at that link , I put my finger over the BMW badge on the trunklid and what do I have? A Hyundai.

[Dirty Sanchez]

pedestrian

[indyfan31]

pedestrian

:laugh:

[MAXAR RE]

I like it, but I like the styling of most BMWs. My ultimate dream car is a 760Li, followed by an M5. The wife wants an X5 4.8 and a 645i convertible. Seeing as how we are poor and the lotto still hasn't panned out for us, this new 3 looks to be a very promising compromise between our dream cars and our reality. :D

[indyfan31]

Hmmmm....on second thought. Put your hand over the front clip and tell me it doesn't look like a Taurus w/ 7-spoke wheels.

http://www.autospies.com/images/10-21/NEWBMW/4.jpg

[oddlycalm]

We got a Z4 for my wife a few months ago. Can't stand the looks of the thing but it is fun to drive. The new 3 doesn't look as bad as I thought it might.Sweet, the Z4 drives drives great and it's a recipe for fun. Did you ever look at the engine compartment and think about an M version with a V10....? :D More than enough room I think.

oc