3/4 series New G20 3 series LCI

[moonstone]

Looks like they’ve modelled the new headlights on the 5 series LCI. Gets iDrive 8 as well. Looks like they’re playing catch up to the dual screen layout that Mercedes introduced in the latest A Class platform.

 

[Grunty-Motor]

I'll take the old one please

 

[DaveA]

I think, being awkward, I would go for something in the middle to be a sweet spot (the new rear is better, but the new front worse, IMHO)... Push comes to shove, right now, I would take an older car... But I think, give it a few months, and the newer car will make the old one look dated and I will have swapped opinions...

 

[DaveA]

This image, taken from the BME UK configurator, really does not do that front end "chin" any favours... It's like one of those fish that trawl along hoovering up the sprats...

Also looks like BMW UK are fixing the glossy "shadow line" trim for now with no option of anything else (am looking at the M340).. which, again, does not (IMHO) help the car's lines... Makes it look very "heavy" to my eyes...

Same view from the BMW.de website...

 

[moonstone]

Wowser. Again, same thing they did with the five series, but that's a really unflattering angle.

 

[225]

It's OK..... I like the headlight notch but looks they are cost cutting so have aligned it with the m cars headlight housings.
Bumpers are a bit ott and I don't like the fact the shadow line is the only option for the m340 as I much prefer the celirium (but admit I am biased!) .
As for ID8 all well and good but loss of buttons again cost saving and trying to look futuristic is a backwards step. Have a long ipad on a stick glued to the dash if you must but keep the aircon and shortcut buttons!

 

[DaveA]

It's OK..... I like the headlight notch but looks they are cost cutting so have aligned it with the m cars headlight housings.
Bumpers are a bit ott and I don't like the fact the shadow line is the only option for the m340 as I much prefer the celirium (but admit I am biased!) .
As for ID8 all well and good but loss of buttons again cost saving and trying to look futuristic is a backwards step. Have a long ipad on a stick glued to the dash if you must but keep the aircon and shortcut buttons!

I was thinking about this and, in particular, why just the shadowline... It may be that BMW UK are just selling shadowline equipped 340's at launch and will add the option for the other colour choices in time...

Another thing I noticed is that, on the M Sport models, the standard trim is cloth... Didn't it used to be leather, or am I mis-remembering..

 

[225]

You are correct full leather is now and extra 1300 quid!

 

[moonstone]

You are correct full leather is now and extra 1300 quid!

That's a piss-take!

 

[DaveA]

That's a piss-take!

Exactly what I was thinking... On the 3-er M Sport, the basic leather should be standard (or included), as it was with the F30 and the pre LCI G20... It's all just "back to the future" otherwise...

The leather was always an option on the 1 series... But the 135 comes with some pretty awesome seats as standard, so I never even bothered looking at leather...

 

[DaveA]

That's a piss-take!

There is price creep going on, also...

Back when the G20 was first launched I looked at the following car…

330i M Sport, White, Black Leather, 19” 793 wheels
Visibility, M Sport, Comfort and Technology Packages
Parking Plus and Drive Assistant Plus

October 2018 it was a £46,450 RRP (about £49/50k now) with the options that I ticked (I still have the PDF the configurator generated…

Using the configurator now, a similar car (to as close as a specification match as I can get without intentionally adding extras) is £52,130 RRP.