For about three decades, BMW enjoyed a cushy seat on top of the premium sport sedan segment. It wore its crown with confidence and without fear that it could ever be taken. From the E30-generation to the E90-gen, the 3 Series was the unquestioned king of the segment. With the F30-gen, though, BMW’s complacency seemingly began to show. Not in isolation but only when compared to the cars from its rivals, most of which are now more impressive and entertaining to drive. So now BMW is looking to retake its crown and the G20 3 Series is going to have to be the car to do it.
At the moment, the current F30 3 Series is a good car but a more flawed 3er than ever before. I get a lot of comments from F30 owners claiming to love their 3 Series. And they should, it’s a good car. But when you compare it cars like the Alfa Romeo Giulia, Jaguar XE and even the new Audi A4, it just can’t compete, dynamically. Sure, the F30 is the better overall car than the Alfa and Jag, due to its better comfort and technology, but it’s not better than the Audi A4 in those regards. Plus, a 3 Series is supposed to be the “Ultimate Driving Machine”, not the “Ultimate iDrive Machine”, so it’s now-sub-par driving dynamics are a real problem, regardless of how comfortable and easy it is to live with.
Thankfully, it seems as if redemption is right around the corner. By the end of this year, we’ll see the new G20 3 Series and while there’s a lot of pressure on it to deliver the goods, it seems as if it has what it takes to do so.
After reading about some pre-production drives and learning about the new lift-related dampers, as well as other tech, that BMW gave the new G20 3 Series, it seems like it could very well shoot back to the tippy-top of the segment. Even major critics of the current F30-gen 3 Series, such as Car and Driver and Motor Trend, seemed to be seriously impressed with the new G20 3 Series. Some journalists even went as far as to already claim that its status as the best in the segment.
The new G20 3 Series is said to have steering and suspension tuning similar to cars like the E46 3 Series, the high-water mark for the entire segment, not just the 3 Series. It’s nimbler than the car it will eventually replace, sharper, more dynamic and, most importantly, a lot more fun. Not only that but it’s also more comfortable, features even more impressive technology and an even better interior. So the new G20 3 Series should be a massive leap forward for the model and it’s coming at the right time.
