The BMW 3 Series Compact was a funny car. It started with the E36-generation of 3 Series and continued with the E46-gen but stopped after that. It was basically a small, affordable hatchback version of the 3er that was designed to be a sort of economy version. It usually came with small, efficient petrol and diesel engines but it was never a performance-oriented machine. However, some enthusiasts loved it because it was cheap and had a ton of tuning potential. So would you like to see it come back?

This new render shows off what it would be like if BMW brought back a new version of the 3 Series Compact for the new G20-generation. And it looks like a 2 Series Active Tourer that’s been smushed, from to back, just with G20 3 Series styling.

It doesn’t look good, this G20-gen Compact, to be honest. It’s far too tall and frumpy looking. Admittedly, none of the Compact 3 Series’ were ever lookers, especially the E46-generation, which looked like as if it was wearing spectacles, thanks to its separated halo headlights. But they never looked like shortened minivans, as this render does.

G20 BMW 3 Series Compact2 830x550

Having said that, it does look like it would be an attractive car if it were shorter, more hatchback-like and less van-like. The G20-gen has a handsome face so it could make a more economical hatchback look more premium, especially with an M Sport package.

Though, that would then just become a 1 Series hatchback, wouldn’t it? And that’s sort of what the 3 Series Compact has become. So, technically, BMW doesn’t need a 3 Series Compact anymore, as it has the 1 Series. Still, though, with BMW slicing niches as thin as a sushi chef, it’s not hard to imagine a world where BMW does bring it back. We just hope it doesn’t look like this.

[Source: Behance]