10-15-2018, 11:17 AM | #47 |
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I think some of Mr. Horn's comments are bit hard to swallow.
First, I don't think the entire design language is different...the average non-BMW forum reader would find far more important similarities between the 3er and 5er than they would find differences, especially in the front end (which is arguably the cars' most defining perspective). And BMW needs to find a way to attract non-BMW owners, not just focus on those who scour the forums and split design hairs. Second, the quote “Our overall goal was to make the car as compact as possible” is hilarious, given how much this car has grown - while only slightly wider and taller than the F30, it's 3 inches longer!! It's effectively becoming the 5 series of previous generations (E34 5er was 186 inches, G20 3er is 185.7). |
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10-15-2018, 11:34 AM | #48 |
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I don't think it's a matter of designing the 3 to be totally different from the 5, but rather, a shift of BMW's design language. Note the similarity between the 3, Z4 and the new 8 (to some extent even the rear of the X4. The 5 may only be 2 years old, but its styling is definitely last gen.
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10-15-2018, 11:38 AM | #49 |
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I was alongside an X4 in traffic yesterday and I realized that the new character lines of the g20 (the two confused lines taking the place of the traditional single line running fore to aft intersecting the door handles) were lifted from the X4. The break between the two lines, and the second line with the curve, appear intended to reduce visual length and increase visual height. If correct, this would indicate that BMW lifted major design cues of the next generation 3 Series from a crossover / SUV, including the new BMW signature fat lip.
So, is BMW thinking that it will support unit sales of cars by making them visually similar to SUVs? Are sedan buyers looking for cars that are more like SUVs or do they buy cars because they do not want an SUV? I'll make the bold prediction that BMW will sell fewer g20s than f30 or e90 generation cars. If correct, will BMW blame this contraction on the consumer trend toward crossovers / SUVs or will BMW consider that traditional 3-Series buyers do not want bloat, visual clutter, and bland driving characteristics but instead value the traditional characteristics that made the brand. Looking at common design characteristics of the X7 and the g20, and considering the contrast between comments in favor of the X7 and disappointed by the g20, it seems like the BMW brand has become a victim of success. The company feels obligated to make vehicles to serve the market that loves things like the X7, but every design element that helps move SUVs in China, E.Europe, and the California Central Valley (for examples) makes the rest of the car-consumer market cringe. Perhaps there should be more distinction among the models and less effort to share all design language across SUVs and cars because, in the context of the g20, common design elements like the fat-lip-grill and confused character lines do not work well. The scale is wrong and the design language feels like an anathema to the traditional 3-Series owner. -Michael |
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10-15-2018, 11:38 AM | #50 |
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because no one is going to confuse the msport cars at all..
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10-15-2018, 11:55 AM | #51 |
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They don't look that different to me at all... certainly not "totally different."
Both are equally under-whelming. I want to see BMW get more aggressive. Hopefully their BEV i line can meet that expectation. |
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10-15-2018, 12:20 PM | #52 |
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In before the Lexus IS comments.. (but I am probably too late)
FYI: It does not look like a Lexus.
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10-15-2018, 12:24 PM | #54 | |
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Basically because it was all blacked out.
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10-15-2018, 01:16 PM | #55 |
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F30 looks more like G30 than F10
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10-15-2018, 01:44 PM | #57 | |
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Not if they open their eyes they won't !
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10-15-2018, 02:03 PM | #58 |
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Following up on some of the discussions above, here's some side-by-side of the 5er and 3er sedans from history for comparison's sake:
E12 vs. E21 Front Rear ------------------------------------------------------ E28 vs. E30 Front Rear ------------------------------------------------------ E34 vs. E36 Front Rear ------------------------------------------------------ E39 vs. E46 Front Rear ------------------------------------------------------ E60 vs. E90 Front Rear ------------------------------------------------------ F10 vs. F30 Front Rear
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10-15-2018, 02:24 PM | #59 |
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Looking at this, the 3 series look more of a 5 series than the 5 series do.
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10-15-2018, 03:05 PM | #60 | |
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To me the G20 is definitely in the BMW 'family', just moving the design forward, following the current design language, as we have always seen in BMW evolution from model to model. |
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10-15-2018, 03:06 PM | #61 |
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What I think is interesting is that, at least to me, the G20 looks like more of a successor to the E90 than the F30 does, just as the F10 looks like more of a successor to the E39 than the E60 does.
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10-15-2018, 03:11 PM | #62 |
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That means they do care, at least a little.
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10-15-2018, 03:12 PM | #63 | |
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Just look at the E53 X5 and note how much influence the E39 wagon had on the X5 interpretation. I simply see it a natural progression for design influences to move both ways. An SUV influencing the next sedan and vice versa. |
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10-15-2018, 04:42 PM | #65 | |
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10-15-2018, 05:25 PM | #66 | |
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