Love Your Old Saab Hatchback? Get the New BMW 3-Series GT
I never understood why the hatchback sedan was not more widely adopted. I grew up in Saab 9000's and I have since owned one myself. They make so much more sense than a traditional sedan there is literally no comparison. And there is no downside - you don't have to look like you are driving around in a mom-mobile because it isn't a wagon - it's just a sedan with the hinge at the top of the rear glass.
Maybe there is some complex reason why they are more difficult to design - something about cross-member stress and the strength of the c-pillars. Meh. Saab did it for years and they were the size of a flea compared with ToMoCo and GM.
Not to rehash old ground here... but the 9000 Aero was a large hatchback sedan which was incredibly fun to drive, got 250+ hp from a turbo 4 and was very safe while getting almost 30mpg - all in the early 90's. Ahead of it's time? You bet.
So what has BMW done? After many years of letting Audi reign with the practical crowd (RWD is fun - but north of the Mason-Dixon line not all that practical) they have decided to go after the old Saab market.
Starting in 2014 BMW will offer the 3-series as a "GT" - which means hatchback which isn't a wagon in BMWeze.
First - I am not really sure whey they went with the extend-o-butt. Yes, it probably does increase the internal storage space, but it looks pretty odd, mitigating some of the beauty of the whole hatchback-sedan design.
However, if you can get this in AWD with a manual and a good engine you are looking at one hell of a combination. My problem though? Given how ugly the back end is, you might as well get the wagon...
Anyway, a step in the right direction in my opinion - hopefully someone will pick up the torch and start building good looking sporty sedans with hatchbacks. Or I could buy and restore an old 9000 Aero... hmmm....
Maybe there is some complex reason why they are more difficult to design - something about cross-member stress and the strength of the c-pillars. Meh. Saab did it for years and they were the size of a flea compared with ToMoCo and GM.
Not to rehash old ground here... but the 9000 Aero was a large hatchback sedan which was incredibly fun to drive, got 250+ hp from a turbo 4 and was very safe while getting almost 30mpg - all in the early 90's. Ahead of it's time? You bet.
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| More practical than your car, guaranteed |
So what has BMW done? After many years of letting Audi reign with the practical crowd (RWD is fun - but north of the Mason-Dixon line not all that practical) they have decided to go after the old Saab market.
Starting in 2014 BMW will offer the 3-series as a "GT" - which means hatchback which isn't a wagon in BMWeze.
First - I am not really sure whey they went with the extend-o-butt. Yes, it probably does increase the internal storage space, but it looks pretty odd, mitigating some of the beauty of the whole hatchback-sedan design.
However, if you can get this in AWD with a manual and a good engine you are looking at one hell of a combination. My problem though? Given how ugly the back end is, you might as well get the wagon...
Anyway, a step in the right direction in my opinion - hopefully someone will pick up the torch and start building good looking sporty sedans with hatchbacks. Or I could buy and restore an old 9000 Aero... hmmm....
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