[mbanck]

I had a hard time telling S- and C-class apart from the rear until I realized the S-class has a third light strip. I still can't tell the (new?) E-Class and C-Class apart.

Also, I telling apart the F11 from the (pre-LCI) F31 is very difficult, as the F11 has two light strips (as opposed to three for the F10) very similar to the F31.

So yeah, good thing BMW is differentiating here.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by nozydog

As for them wanting to keep it as compact as possible... well they’ve failed, it’s now over 4.7 metres long... hardly ‘compact’!!

We've got to think laterally...

It is as "compact as possible", given the competition in the segment. All about trying to be best in class, etc. None of the main players in the segment will plough their own furrow.

Won't be long before the 2-series is bigger than the original 5-series. Yes, not the 3-series, but the 5-series. A 220d parked next to me just yesterday, not a 'small' car in real terms.

[Ayrton91]

Problem is they seemed to have focused too much in making it look different from the 5 series and failed to notice that it looks like any vanilla Japanese sedan (at least the rear). Personally, I think this iteration of the 3 series is a total step in the wrong direction.

[ScottAndrew]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

We've got to think laterally...

It is as "compact as possible", given the competition in the segment. All about trying to be best in class, etc. None of the main players in the segment will plough their own furrow.

This new G20 3 series is shorter than the A4 and Passat, about the same as the C-Class and a bit longer than the Guilia. People simply want cars this size, and every manufacturer delivers.

Won't be long before the 2-series is bigger than the original 5-series. Yes, not the 3-series, but the 5-series. A 220d parked next to me just yesterday, not a 'small' car in real terms.

Could be.

The 2 coupé is 2mm longer than the E36 coupé, which a hipster/granola-type, Richmond-dwelling girlfriend once described as "unnecessarily large and ostentatious" - and this was in the Nineties! Mind you she (and people like her) probably still think a G-Whiz is a symbol of moneyed class oppression, such was the myopia she developed...

Both are still 7"-8" shorter than the original 1972 5 series though. But there's time; the 3 will likely die in favour of SUVs and niche coupés/crossovers, and the 2 will grow to become a family car. Then that'll die off, etc....

[pmc123]

why? because it's almost the same size, now? 🤔

[bimmer_335]

Originally Posted by adhrp

I did immediately note that the new 3 looked quite different from the new 5 (thankfully!). The new 5's exterior looks totally pedestrian to me. If the new 3 looked like that, I would have had a hard time considering buying one.

look closely... they are not that different afterall

for me front is marginally better than the 5... but rear is a total disaster on g20. Looks stolen from audi and has lost the classic design elements of a bimmer

[adhrp]

Originally Posted by bimmer_335

look closely... they are not that different afterall

for me front is marginally better than the 5... but rear is a total disaster on g20. Looks stolen from audi and has lost the classic design elements of a bimmer

I will have to see it in person to make my final judgement. Right now I am going off videos/photos on the G20 vs real-life impressions of the 5 series.