Fanning the Flames: Next BMW M3 Sedan Replaced by Hatchback M3 GT?

If this is true it will be the ultimate test for every guy that claims to have wanted an M3 because it is "The Ultimate Driving Machine."

Bayerische Motoren Werken ist ein Deutsche Gesellschaft. In Deutschland, 5-door saloons don't have the same stigma as they do in die Vereinigte Staaten.

"Nothing wrong with a wagon, until you own one and you feel judged. "

I've owned wagons and never felt "judged".

There's nothing wrong with a wagon. Let there be an M3 wagon like there is an E63 AMG wagon...but the hatchback concepts they are going to with the 5-Series GT and X6 are just horrid. I would love to drive an actual M3 wagon.

That rendering makes me want to cry.

I'd buy an M3 wagon in a heartbeat.

The back of that car makes my eyes burn.

^^ +1. absolutely terrible.

The problem with wagons is we don't buy them. I'm sure Europe will get a wagon. How is the 5GT selling, I think I have seen 1 on the road?

"We still have to ask, what's wrong with a wagon? "

Well; let's look at the sales stats.
How many CTS-V, E63, 5GT, X6, Avants wagons/hatches are sold compared to their sedan conterparts?
(I don't know or have the actual figures so I can't say for sure....)

Oh god.

An M3 version of the Honda Crossturd... *sigh* I would love to have a 5 series wagon from the last gen or an old diesle MB.

4 door Z coupe?

The only thing nice about this rendering is the license plate.

Why is the hatch so out of sync with the rear fenders?

And I am not a fan of BMWs taillights-- the transition from the fender taillight to the trunk taillight is too awkward and abrupt. Nothing aligns or blends. Almost as bad as the Honda Odyssey "lightning bolt"

Prob the ugliest BMW of all time.

Just do the coupe + convertible. BMW, you're already grossly pimping & desecrating your heritage. Do the right thing instead of putting the final nail in the coffin.

Werd to the license plate in the last pic.

Also - I don't really see much of a difference between the profile of the hatchmonster in the first photo and that of the current M3 sedan. It seems a very subtle difference from the side, even less drastic than the IS300 sportwagon.

An M3 wagon would be "teh hawt". I've always wanted an STi wagon, personally. I currently own an S4 wagon (and would love to have an RS4 wagon) and a Flex, which some consider a large wagon.

I think you could call me a wagon fan. :) In fact, I own wagonfan.com too!

teleiosgt,

I dont buy cars based on others views, i buy them based on my wants and needs. The general overall consensus of a wagon is that they are lame. The people who see other wise are the enthusiasts....and there just aren't enough of us out there to support the kind sales needed to keep them around. Everyone on here would gladly drive a super powered wagon (especially me)...however, the sales figures on these cars say it all. And the only logical reason to pass up the utility and power, is that they have yet to shake the social stigma of being "lame" so the average consumer is quick to pass them up. EX: Think of how long it took before the minivan was cool again!

I cried laughing when I saw that rendering. The 5 Series GT is not a bad looking car, and the M3 Sedan is a looker itself, but together, they're one hilarious comedy show. Keep em' coming InsideLine :) Next mix the BMW Z4 and X5. The XZ45?

BMW's on a role. I would not be surprised. I hope they do build this car and suffer huge losses, maybe then they'll feel the smacks from the invisible hand that's been trying to tell'm to get their f'ing act straight for the past five freakin years!

Now we know it wasn't all Bangle's fault.

93aero is right; wagons have a stigma that will probably NEVER allow them to be "cool" in the US market.

This article mentioned "poor sales" in refrence to the M3 sedan and that is a surprise to me. I wonder if the coupe is selling better or the M3 in general isn't selling . . . either way the rendered pic is horrific but for my hard earned $$ I'd rather have an RS4 anyway.

All things even, I think the vast majority of guys would choose a sedan over the wagon. Especially when they are about to drop 65K at the dealership. That being said, I have a friend that drives a Audi wagon. Although he also wears pink polo shirts and has been known to "pop" his collar.

In my opinion, that rendering is uuuugLy! I don't understand the point of a hatchback M3. If you need significant luggage room, why are you buying a compact sports sedan?

I have a 10 year old BMW 540 wagon and it can still snap my neck everytime I press the gas. Still have lots of power. I am still impressed. I love wagons, if they can build Wagon M5 for US that would be great.

@93aero

if you are really worried about what people think about you based on why you drive, why is your username names after a 1993 Saab?

Auto companies the size of BMW cannot afford to make many mistakes. Their announced intentions to use FWD in small cars, develop electric vehicles, and pursue joint ventures will probably turn out to be wise decisions. That said, they seem to be doing some rather strange things with what we consider their mainstream models. These are what generate the profits that allow BMW to diversify. Currently, they seem obsessed with creating niche models that sell in limited numbers that require years to deliver a solid return on the initial investment. I'm just feel that they need to be careful with their core products.

Dear BMW -

Earlier this year we purchased a 2010 Audi A6 Avant. While we're very happy with the vehicle, my first choice would have been an M3 wagon. Sadly, you choose not to make such a vehicle available for sale in the United States. And if this rumor is correct, and you intend to bring us another horribly ugly and not that practical hatchback... I won't be buying anything from you at the next go around in roughly 3 years.

Sincerely -

A devoted car guy and his family.

If they want even poorer sales, bring something like this ugly POS to the States.

pleeeeease make an M3 wagon instead!

Oh My God 4 What The F*ck = license plate translation. :)

@ redgeminipa: I literally Lol'd at your comment! LOL! The plates translate the car!

Am I the only guy who thinks that (in the rendering of the rear) that the ass of the car seems to be sliding off?

(insert gratuitously large sad face)

Looks like BMW is gonna be the old Cadillac if this keeps up. A once fabled luxury marque that now makes really pointless cars.

wrinklebump says:

07:27 AM, 10/22/10

"Oh god."

My sentiments exactly! I mean, the side shot looked kind of promising and then I scrolled down!!! It's uglier than the 5GT...and that's pretty freaking ugly.

If you look at the side view of M3 hatch long enough it starts to grow on you. I suspect the same thing might happen for the back. One segment of hatchback and wagon buyers are the working class. They need the best virtues of a van, pickup, and car wrapped into one. I prefer BMW to outfit a 3 series wagon with the M sport attributes in place of a hatchback so I can keep the money I would spend to pay for delivery or rental.

I love wagons. But BMW's "GT Hatchbacks" make me throw up a little. BWW sedans are so nice, but occasionally they do these experiments that are just awful.

BMW is going down the tube it seems. Extremely sad to say, I absolutely loved every M car up until 2011. The F generation cars are not appealing at all and personally, a turbo motor on an M car doesn't make sense.

I-6 goes back where it belongs? That is an overstatement, especially since the first M3 had a 4 cylinder and I am sure everyone bashed the 6 when it replaced the 4. All three motors, from the 4 to the 8, were all amazing and all made a large amount of HP/Liter.

The problem is that BMW is replacing the technologically advanced N/A hi-revving masterpieces with....boost.......

Meh. Thumbs down BMW, Thumbs way down.

Shrug. It'll have turbos and for that reason alone it just doesn't seem like an M.

I'm not against wagons, but this is sh*t.
It's a photoshop of a M3 and a 5 series GT and it's horriblel f_ck the as__hole who did thiss.

The M3 GT/Hatchback is a really bad idea. It is really UGLY. If BMW is not getting the sales success they desire or expected with the current M3, they will be even more dissapointed with this very ugly offering. BMW seems to have a lot of recent "in house" problems. It obviously wasn't Chris Bangles fault. I think Chris did a great job. I think they were just trying to find someone to blame. BMW needs to get its act together. The X6 is a nightmare, looks like a obese pig, has very tight interior room, too expensive and not very good fuel economy. I would not be surprised to see the the X6 production discontinued in the next 2 to 3 years. The 5 series GT is also an issue, its an ugly car, not fit for human occupancy. Who was the target audience, Martians???? I have always admired BMWs and was planning very seriously of buying one in the next year or two, but now I am re-considering that idea.

Hey Bimmer, make a real wagon, not some ugly thing in between a wagon and a sedan. Look at Audi's success with the avants, and do it r.ight

I like wagons, but the problem with this is that it looks like a weird wagon/suv mashup. UGLY!!

This, however, is a truly awesome car. I'd take one in a heartbeat.

http://jalopnik.com/5578346/mercedes-c+class-dr-520//gallery/2

Why is everybody calling this a "wagon". It's nothing more than a mutant sedan/hatchback/crossover offspring. A real modern day station wagon looks nothing like this. Especially the handsome German wagons.

BMW's real wagons (like the 3-series and 5-series sport wagons) are actually very decent to look at, and arent eyesores like their recent string of gremlins like the 5-series Gt and X6.

These GT's are a step in the wrong direction for BMW.
M5 touring was a nice addition to the line-up, and M3 touring would make another one.
And because the new 5-series touring looks really nice (IMO), I'm looking forward for the M5 version...

Hopefully they decide to share it with americans also, and you buy it, so they are encouraged to make a M3 touring also. :)

seriously? i hope this is just a bad rendering because that rear-end view looks like the love-child of a bmw m3 and a chevy malibu maxx.

Horrible. What next a M5 GT? Really? How about a Alpina 7 series GT? Come on BMW snap out of it. The rendering lookis like the backend is made out of wax and it sat in the sun too long. A quick poll...how many here have actually seen any of the new GTs? I see a lot of BMWs, but none of the GT variant.

Wow, that's some nice rendering. Good job Mark. But I'd call that a wagon than a hatchback. I like hatchback. I don't like wagons. I always wondered why there isn't a RWD hatchback.