3 Times A Charm

The seventh-generation of the 3 Series has its work cut out for it. The new Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class have raised the bar. The question is, how will Munich respond?

- Manuela Piscini

Is the traditional sedan on the verge of extinction? Well, if you look at the varying types of SUV’s, coupe SUVs, crossovers and the like, you could fool yourself into believing that to be the case. But then you go through the sales charts globally, and you find that – despite the various niches that automakers have unearthed over the years – against all the odds, four-door sedans continue to be the flavour of the month.

After all, for BMW – who are absolutely ace at uncovering new niches – it’s the good old 3 Series that continues to lead the sales charts. In 2015, the 3 Series accounted for almost one-fourth of BMW’s total sales. And now it’s almost ready for its seventh iteration.

Forty years and six generations after its launch, it’s racked up over 14-million sales – of which at least 10 million are traditional sedans. Today, the sedan accounts for 75% of total sales – although the 3 Series was conceived in 1975 as a two-door sedan.

EVOLUTION