If any confirmation was still need, then it just came today in a form of a press release from BMW of North America. The low volume, niche gran tourers are coming to an end in the United States. For Model Year 2020, both the 3 Series GT and the 6 Series GT will not be sold to American customers.
The 3 Series GT cancelation was announced a few months ago and the 6 Series GT was expected to get the axe as well. As we reported a few days ago, the versatile 6 Series will not see life as a second generation.
Yet, the 6 GT will still get a refresh in 2020, in the form of a mild lifecyle design update and the model will continue to be sold in other markets. In Europe, the 6 Series Gran Turismo is certainly more popular than in the US, so it will still be available for purchasing.
According to our sources, a couple of years ago, the 6 Series GT was even considered as a future electric car, but a change in strategy, which calls for a reduction in models offered, axed that plan.
In the US, neither of the 3 GT and the 6 GT gained popularity among the SUV-driven customers and with a strong portfolio of crossovers, their cancelation was expected.
Good riddance.
Was it Reithofer that personally insisted on investing corporate resources on this bastardized product segment (not a saloon, not an SAV)? An expensive exercise to confirm a failed product spec to say the least.
Almost feels like a kneejerk to the Model S hatchback saloon configuration.
Total agreement.
Guess you’ve never seen 2000 Touring, BMW were in this “bastardized product segment” over half a century ago. Actually referred to as niche marketing.
It’s a shame, really, had BMW done these two simple things on the 6GT they’d have had a legit Audi A7 competitor:
1) lowered the ride height so it looked sportier, and
2) named it a Gran Coupe instead of a “GT” (the GT name has a stigma because of the 5GT).
It was actually a good car, and was attractive in M Sport guise with the big wheels, they just doomed it from the start.
Not the target market, BMW were actually attempting alternative to SUVs, designed from inside for space (rear seat stadium seating, elevated ride height), lotsa luggage space. Why EPA classifies A7 as mid-size while GT was full-size. 6 GC more A7 competitor.
that’s nice and all but consumers aren’t looking up “EPA classifications” when cross shopping. The Accord has been a full size car for years, the Camry isn’t, but they’re the most cross shopped vehicles in the country. It’s all about marketing and perception. If the car had been calling 6GC instead of 6GT and came to market only as an M Sport, with a suspension that was 2-3″ lowered so it “sat” like an A7, I guarantee you it wouldn’t be cancelled here now.
GTs actually built for China, 5 sold about as many units as i3 globally. Supposedly BMW North America didn’t want it here but it was intended to replace Touring. Given the success of Spartanburg crossovers, I understand why BMW would stop importing niche hatches & wagons (VW dumping Sportswagen for SUVs). Even Honda are cutting back Accord prod’n., market has changed that much.
I know and understand all those things. Again, my point is BMW only needed to do two things when launching that model, and it would’ve been successful here. Lower it, and don’t call it a GT. The end. Do those two things and it still exists in the U.S. for 2020, they just needed to market it as an A7 competitor instead of a wagon/SUV alternative.
Since they are downsizing in anticipation of new BEV, why would they? Like getting a manual on 3er or Z4 – NOT priorities!
It could be wrong information. G32 LCI should be next year, and incl. US…
So what? The 6 series is now axed, since the 6GT was the 6 series?
I’m not that surprise quite frankly, BMW only sold 1 016 6 GT series in 7 months!
That’s really low.