BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo Is the Perfect Mid-Entry Level Luxury Car, With A Slightly High Price Tag And Extra Features [Road Test]

BMW 3 Series has made house in many Indian homes and we see the roads filled with the 2012 and 2013 variants of the car. Probably because of such high demand, BMW has brought down the GT variant of the popular 3 series to India as well. We recently got our hands behind the sturdy driving wheel of the BMW 3 series GT and boy-oh-boy did we have a nice time with it.

Design
We just loved the design dynamics of the BMW 3 series GT. The built is larger and wider than the usual 3 series. The front does seem very similar to the regular 3 series, but as you start moving toward the mid and rear of the car, the GT starts to show its own identity.

The rear windscreen merges nicely into the boot of the car and combines into one seamless boot gate. The GT also has a large opaque sun roof that runs from the front of the cabin to the back. The car looks very masculine and not requests, but demands attention.

Step into the car and a plush cabin awaits your arrival. BMW has loaded the GT with all the goodies that one requires for a comfortable and entertaining ride. The BMW iDrive system works well and every button in the middle console is well within reach of the driver. One can also mount a 16 pin iPhone under the middle arm rest, too. This enables the driver to charge the phone and make calls using the cars console. The usual USB and AUX ports for music have also been thrown in.

Over that, the steering has mounted ICE (in car entertainment) controls. The driver seat is electronically adjustable and one can increase and reduce the height of the front seats, besides moving it forward, back or reclining the back rest. Driver and front passenger has independent climate controls to maintain their respective side’s temperature.

There is enough room around the cabin to easily fit 5 passengers. The rear has an A/C vent and a lot of leg room. Rear passengers can recline the rear seats as well. This car is not bad for people who want to sit behind and relax, while their chauffeur drives them around. We loves what BMW has done with the rear as one finds more head room in the rear.

Performance and Safety
The BMW 3 series GT comes in just 1 variant with a 2 litre diesel engine (1,995 CC). This produces 181 BHP and can rip through the Indian roads with ease. We took the car out in the city and bit of highway. The car did not cringe under any circumstance. We all know some Indian roads can be unforgiving, but we hardly felt the bumps while driving this car.

The GT has ABS and traction control too. The cabin has couple of all round air-bag units as well, for extra safety. Users can turn on the sports mode and see this car put the roads on fire. The throttle is very responsive and acts well to the slightest paddle touch. The 8 speed automatic transmission is not too shabby either and the drive is mostly smooth with less transmission jerks. Do not expect a brilliant mileage from this variant, anticipate something around the 13-14 KMPL mark.

Yes the car does ask for a premium of about 4-5 lakhs over the regular 3 series. But this car is well worth the price of 42.7 lakhs. Extra boot space, road clearance, rear cabin space and that spectacular design make up for it nicely.