For the 2019 model year, BMW introduces a newly developed G20 chassis that promises a 3 Series that's better overall.
The 330i and 330i xDrive are both powered by a 2.0L four-cylinder engine producing 255 hp and a whopping 295 lb-ft of torque. That's a slight increase in horsepower over the current model year engine, but the jump from 258 …
"Initial 0-60 times are in the 5.6 second range, which is a tick faster than a V6 Toyota Camry."
Ah yes, the Camry. The benchmark upon which all performance cars are based. 
"Further refining the 3 Series to provide a "sportier" driving experience, according to the manufacturer,"
You know what would make for a sportier driving experience? A manual transmission. Especially since the driver's right hand will be 100% available thanks to.....
""BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant"–a feature that will, for example, allow you to tell the car you are cold and have it automatically turn up the heat for you"
Also, my neighbor's 2017 Accord called and it wants its wheels back!
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This is officially where Hyundai passes BMW on the "Ultimate Driving Machine" scale, offering the G70 with a manual.....
In reply to irish44j :
Maybe when you're rallying one of these in 25 years, you can program the "BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant" to be your navigator.
STM317 said:In reply to irish44j :
Maybe when you're rallying one of these in 25 years, you can program the "BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant" to be your navigator.
After watching my actual rally co-driver spending an entire day taking half the engine bay apart just to replace a valve cover gasket on his e92, I totally lost all interest in any new BMW lol....At one point I thought he was just going to say "screw it, I'll live with this oil leak." And this is a guy who builds e30 engines....
Hmm, I wonder if I can get Intelligent Personal Assistant to pay half of the rally entry fee..........:D
Wait, is the 3 series the 4 doors now, or is that the 4 series? There's no manual option anymore. BMW has me feel like I'm taking crazy pills.
"I hate modern BMWs"
Also, ignore that I haven't driven or owned a modern BMW.
Appleseed said:Wait, is the 3 series the 4 doors now, or is that the 4 series? There's no manual option anymore. BMW has me feel like I'm taking crazy pills.
The 3 series is 4 doors and the 4 series is 2 doors. Except when it’s not, like the 430i Gran Coupe.
Both Audi and BMW split their lines in a way that made sense, like this. And kept it that way for about 2 years before introducing 4-door versions of their 2-door chassis, even though both already HAD 4-door cars in the same size class.
This is just one more nail in a coffin that is already quite firmly nailed shut. BMW's soul must have brought a pretty penny when they sold it to the Devil, who happened to be driving a champagne metallic Camry at the time.
I don’t know. Maybe it’s just middle-age me contemplating buying a car in the next couple of years, but lighter and torquier sounds good to me.
Oof. Just realized that as excited as I am about putting that four somewhere interesting, BMW won't give me a transmission. Er, I guess they're already using that family of engine, so hopefully it'll bolt up to a current manual...
Anyhow, I'm sure I'd rather drive that than my Mini. I sure dig the F3x that ReachNow is using, in terms of a civilized daily driver. I'm not taken with the styling, but then, I actually had to sit down a few months ago and look up how many generations there had been since the E46 and how to tell them apart. I can now, but that doesn't say much for the styling, does it? This feels like an evolution of that. The E9x and F3x whatever have both grown on me in a sort of "when you see one tucked down a bit on some nice big wheels and tires it looks pretty dang good" kind of way. They both fade to anonymity on pedestrian rolling stock.
Ransom said:Oof. Just realized that as excited as I am about putting that four somewhere interesting, BMW won't give me a transmission. Er, I guess they're already using that family of engine, so hopefully it'll bolt up to a current manual...
Anyhow, I'm sure I'd rather drive that than my Mini. I sure dig the F3x that ReachNow is using, in terms of a civilized daily driver. I'm not taken with the styling, but then, I actually had to sit down a few months ago and look up how many generations there had been since the E46 and how to tell them apart. I can now, but that doesn't say much for the styling, does it? This feels like an evolution of that. The E9x and F3x whatever have both grown on me in a sort of "when you see one tucked down a bit on some nice big wheels and tires it looks pretty dang good" kind of way. They both fade to anonymity on pedestrian rolling stock.
I personally think the 3-series in the last decade have all looked pretty good visually. My biggest beef is that they're pretty uninteresting to drive, putting aside the ridiculously complex everything that make them DIY nightmares.
Pretty much anything on Craigslist for under $500 excites me more than the bmws of the last 15 years.
I like it a lot. No manual trans doesn't bother me in the least. But, I'd never buy a modern BMW for one reason, I hate BMW interiors.
All of you who are complaining; how many of you would've bought this car in the next 3 years? Or at all?
I always enjoy watching the GRM tears over a new car they'd never buy lol. The 2700lb 400hp manual 2 door rwd wagon for $17,000 new will never exist lmao
yupididit said:
All of you who are complaining; how many of you would've bought this car in the next 3 years? Or at all?
Would I buy a car that doesn’t intrigue me at all now or in 3 years? No. That’s my point.
yupididit said:I like it a lot. No manual trans doesn't bother me in the least. But, I'd never buy a modern BMW for one reason, I hate BMW interiors.
All of you who are complaining; how many of you would've bought this car in the next 3 years? Or at all?
I always enjoy watching the GRM tears over a new car they'd never buy lol. The 2700lb 400hp manual 2 door rwd wagon for $17,000 new will never exist lmao
As of last year I was strongly considering buying a 3-series (probably 1-year used/CPO). In the end, practicality won out and I got a GTI instead (brand new, with manual transmission). My last two daily drivers have been bought new, and I'm probably in BMW's targeted income range/demographic for the 3-series (well, if I didn't waste all my money doing rally).
I would not have considered buying THIS car, however, since it doesn't come with a manual. But I do buy new cars if they have the features that are worth it to me. So, can I shed GRM tears?
In reply to yupididit :
I did. And it has a manual transmission. 
In reply to irish44j :
You have my permission
My main issue with German cars is the cost of admission.............aside from VW any ways. The vehicles have a base price then you have to add $5K-$10K just to get the things that other manufacturers already give you. I have shopped BMWs several times in my life but now I have given up. That car as pictured is probably $40K-$50K and then you add the extras.
For whatever it's worth, BMW's head of development was quoted as saying:
"The G20 has to beat everybody in the segment in driving dynamics because all the Australian, UK and American journalists say, 'Ooh, the E46 CSL was the last real 3 Series.' I don't want to hear that E36 M3 anymore."
Haha. Good. If it can dance, some of us can forgive the lack of a manual.
Driven5 said:For whatever it's worth, BMW's head of development was quoted as saying:
"The G20 has to beat everybody in the segment in driving dynamics because all the Australian, UK and American journalists say, 'Ooh, the E46 CSL was the last real 3 Series.' I don't want to hear that E36 M3 anymore."
Like my old man used to always say "The truth hurts, doesn't it."
turtl631 said:Haha. Good. If it can dance, some of us can forgive the lack of a manual.
making a car handle better than stock is reasonably inexpensive and easy. Adding a manual to a modern car that never came with one is less easy, especially a BMW that probably has 16 modules controlling the transmission and none of them will work if you swapped something else.
The heck with the BMW, where were the pictures taken? I want to drive there - in my Miata (or even my Prius 7).
Appleseed said:Wait, is the 3 series the 4 doors now, or is that the 4 series? There's no manual option anymore. BMW has me feel like I'm taking crazy pills.
Is this a bad time to tell you that the majority of Porsches sold are SUVs?
irish44j said:turtl631 said:Haha. Good. If it can dance, some of us can forgive the lack of a manual.
making a car handle better than stock is reasonably inexpensive and easy. Adding a manual to a modern car that never came with one is less easy, especially a BMW that probably has 16 modules controlling the transmission and none of them will work if you swapped something else.
Only one module CONTROLS the transmission, but sixteen require data from that module...
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