Preview: BMW 3-series 'Shooting Brake'

Why is it that every rendering for every new BMW is based off of the CS concept? It is like these people take the front of the CS concept and just plaster it on every body style they can get their hands on and say it is the new 3, 5, 6, 7-series. They have even put it on a sub 1 series concept. Not all of the cars are going to look exactly alike. Look at all of the different styles for all of the ranges. Not one of them look exactly alike but they have come from the same design family with the flame surfacing.

I wish that someone would have a little more originallity in creating these renderings.

Back on the subject of this shooting brake design, it might be a good idea but I don't think it is going to happen with BMW. They already have another segment that they are developing in the V series and now the X6.

This addition may be stretching it a little bit for BMW. I would like to see a coupe that is based off of the 5 series but that might be a little tough to place it between the upper end of the 3 series and the lower end of the 6 series.

Maybe bring back the 8 series coupe as a really upper end super car?

A coupe based of the 5 series already exists, it's the 6 series.

lol@foxfire. exactly.

mlevere... foxfire is right. and the cs concept is skinned on everything because that IS the design direction of every new BMW. already been stated many times over. hope you like it.

Foxfire-- The 6 series is a combo of 5 and 7 chassis components. It has a lot of 7 in it.

mlevere1992 - The reason most renderings are going towards the CS look is because BMW has stated many times that it's the future direction they are taking. Even spy shots of the new Z4 confirm it will be closer to the CS with an oversized double-kidney grille.

Anyway, this is just an artist's representation of what we think it will look like with the best information we have. These images are revised and refined as we get closer to the launch date and more information is known.

yay for admin!!

personally I love it. if i had to chose between this and the C30, or the scirocco for that matter... hands down.. BMW all the way.

I really want to see car makers putting just as much quality into their small cars as they do their large cars. this looks like that would be the case. I just wish it were the case with every car maker.

for example, I would have gotten a touch screen sat nav in my 08 focus. ford puts 2x12" subs in the trunk of ur mustang if you want it. I would have gotten that in the focus if they offered it. but they dont. so I had to do it myself.

Chris, I am with you. Given a choice between this, the C30 or the Scirocco, I would take this every day of the week and twice on Sunday. The probelm with this is that this car would cost $42K+ where the other two cars can be had at much lower price points. The 1 Series 3 door hatch would be more of a competer for these cars. If they went this direction for the 1 series, I would have even a harder time trying to find ways to fund my purchase of this car.

I know that there is a ton of criticism for the looks of the 1 series but I love that car. Especially the 135. But give it the CS looks and make it a little more sleek and low to the ground, BMW wouldn't be able to make enough of them.

I know that this is the design direction that BMW is going, but if you look at the current like up of BMW's model line, not every car has the same front grill. Yes, they all have the trademark kidney grills but the headlights are different from model to model, even between the coupe and the sedan 1 series. There is some sort of destinction between model lines. All of the recent renderings seem to have people plastering the CS concept front end on everything. I don't think that is going to happen. Look at the new Z4 that admin was talking about. Does it look exactly like the CS front end? No. There doesn't seem to be much originality in these concept renderings and I am getting a little tired of seeing the same thing over and over. That is all I was trying to say.

Ok, maybe the thought of a coupe placed between the 3 and the 6 was a silly one. I think that BMW should come out with a new M1 but not based on the 1 series. Maybe not called the M1 but a new supercar. I know that the M3 is the current Halo car but I would love to see them produce something like an R8. A mid-engine car using lightweight materials and the current V10 and throw on twin turbos.

Thumbs up for the shooting brake. I really like these car. The old Z3 Coupe was great. But in my eyes these renderings look a bit to hatchback like for me.

shooting brake = elongated hatchback...???

hmmm

ml: exactly. the 1 series is a great idea. I mean, if you'd never seen the 1 series and i told you that bmw has a "135"... you'd crap your pants. thats amazing. but the looks are just... well... a huge turn off. if it looked like the CS? hell i'd buy one for as much money as it took.

and I know what you mean. if they were to revive the M1 they'd likely just call it the "M"... and thats what I meant by the "lambo" comment. a mid engine car.. something where the passengers are way up front, cause the engine would be so huge compared to the rest of the car. I know what you mean, that 5L V10 with twin turbos, thats what the CS is supposed to get, but I think that the M would be more in tune with the original. small, light, and small displacement to match. think of an M3 sized car, with AWD, rear engine, small foot print, and maybe twin turbo the 4.2L v8

oh my: shooting brake : luxurious 2 door station wagon. think C30. it isnt really a hatch back, cause its got a pretty huge butt. even the 1 series is more station wagon than hatch back.

The design is nice - however I agree with the previous posters - the price point of this vehicle would be easily in the 40's. A wiser choice would be the Scirocco however VW has chosen not to import it for now due to the weak dollar. Wish that said, an M version with ix awd technology would make both this vehicle and the 1 series a desirable choice. Lastly, recent artist renditions of the the upcoming 7 series don't reflect the bold + beautiful lines of the CS. I hope the upcoming 7 looks just like CS and the family resemblance across product lines is fine with me as it conveys easy identity.

This car would be a good replacement for the three-door 1 Series. The five-door version should get a completely different rear end (from both the shooting brake and the current model), perhaps with a less vertical rear windshield (thing Bravo, Civic Euro).

Ohmy, the difference between a hatchback and an estate/station wagon is the rear overhang length and boot size. Both hatchbacks and wagons may feature vertical or steep rear windshields, and three or five doors.

For those that comment on using similar design cues across all their range as a bad thing...I'm sorry, but the Concept CS design cues were the future direction for BMW.

It's not like Audi and Mercedes-Benz don't use very similar design cues. If I'm not mistaken? Nearly all Audi's look identical...they all have that extended grill that covers 1/2 of the entire front of the car. And Mercedes-Benz? Steam-engine like grills and the new E-class has more edgy lights like the SL. The upcoming SLK will have similar lights to the E-class too!