[the_skyliner]

Snapshot:


Likes:
- Driving pleasure & dynamics (to a certain extent)
- Space (at front as well as at rear)
- Good ride quality
- Fit & finish of interiors
- Safety features
- Other feel-good features (panoramic sunroof, remote boot opener, ambient lighting, Adaptive LED headlamps, newer iDrive, etc)
- Quality of leather used for seats (very soft and smells great)
- Seat folding mechanism and the space you get with that boot door fully opened
- RFTs (yes, I like them. Safety is paramount for me and it includes safer tyres)
- Bavaria motors (& BMW India) sales and service experience is just amazing compared to others

Dislikes:
- Handling isn't as good as 320d
- Headlamp washers are missing (omitted from the LCI model). A must have in monsoon season
- Beige is difficult to maintain and there is too much of it in this car
- Rear seat is upright compared to 320d which has a better back angle
- No three zone AC (A4 has it)
- No Apple CarPlay

BMWs are not a fight between heart and brain. It purely is a heart thing.


Living in Germany for a few years brought me closer to these "Freude am Fahren" machines. Even though we can not compare our roads to those in Europe one bit, a bimmer will still put a grin on driver's face each and every time. And for those who hate to be driven, this is the ultimate pleasure to derive from cars.

3GT is not exactly a driver's car as much as 320d/530d is. However, it still is fun to drive in it's own unique way.

[the_skyliner]

The buying process:

To be honest, there was no immediate need to replace our current car which was 3 and half years old and done some 45k kms. Even though there was one major part replacement done, I didn’t foresee any other major issue. However, for a change, this time it was the other two enthusiasts at home who were looking forward to a new car. My wife and son were checking out cars on internet almost at car a week pace and asking me all sort of questions.

Soon we found ourselves in different car showrooms checking out cars. Unlike last time, this time I decided not to hover over multiple segments and limit the search to what we really want.
Our small little house is situated in a narrow lane of one of densely populated areas of Pune. So a bigger car was out of question. We anyway were and still are not keen on a bigger car than 320d or the likes. So it was either C220d or A4. Bimmers were given a total miss as we didn’t want to buy another 320d and GT never came to my mind as I thought its not as plush as the others (C & A4).

So one weekend we deiced to visit Audi & Merc back to back. And the fact that they are neighbours helped us do it in short time. First I wanted to check out A4 as I was inclined towards it’s fantastic FDC setup.

Cars seriously considered:

Audi A4:

Fantastic package for those who are looking out for luxury and less of a drivers car. FDC is just amazing to look at and there are no many functions that you feel like sitting inside an iPhone. It has wireless charging for cell phone which I liked.

Likes:
- Features and electronic gadgetry
- Understated looks
- LED headlamps and the dynamic turn indicators
- Gearbox is amazingly smooth (feels like driving a linear petrol engine)
- Fit and finish is top class
- Build quality is solid and safety features
- Audi dealership experience was by far the best

Dislikes:
- Not a RWD. After being used to 320d, the difference was clearly noticeable
- Steering was too light and didn’t inspire confidence
- Small thing: but the plastic inside the bottle holder pockets in the doors wasn’t great (320d has soft material there)
- Lack of colour options. I wanted black interiors as beige didn’t have similar feel to it. But for black interiors we had to choose between red or silver exteriors colours and none of them was liked by anyone of us.
- No Panoramic sunroof

Experience at Audi dealer was excellent to say the least. The SA was super patient with us and provided all the information we would ever need. He was well informed about A4 as well as other Audi cars. They even gifted a scale model of Q7 to my son. Lovely gesture.

We took a longish TD of the car which included highway as well as city roads including very bad roads. The ride was probably the best compared to the C & of course way better than 320d. Overall I liked it. I was anyway not looking out for a drivers car this time and so this one really impressed me with it’s gadgetry and overall experience.
The SA made an initial offer after the TD to which I asked him to hold on as I would be checking out the C next. He promised to better the offer once we are sure about the car. Meanwhile we also checked A3 as my wife was keen on a smaller car. However, we didn’t find any VFM in that one so moved on. The SA also asked us to have a look at A6 matrix but we were sure about not moving out of the segment to a higher one so skipped it.

Mercedes C220d:

I was never impressed by any Merc somehow. Even though that was like the epitome of luxury cars as we were growing up, still it never appealed to me. But that does not change the fact: a Merc is a Merc after all . A solid statement backed with super solid mechanicals (and electronics). Germans know how to build machines and they do it with love and passion. It shows up in their products and Merc probably is a benchmark of this passion as well as skills of Bavarian folks.

C220d is inside out fantabulous. There is no way one can ignore such a car. Wife and son loved it immediately. They both almost immediately assumed that this is the one we are bringing home.

Likes:
- A benchmark in luxury when it comes to cars
- The quality of materials is at least couple of floors above 320d & one step ahead of A4
- Built like a tank (felt to be more sturdy than the older C)
- Drive was good too. RWD and handles itself very well
- NVH was great. No noise in the cabin
- Loaded with safety features including the proximity warning system
- Panoramic sunroof

Dislikes:
- Not as engaging to drive as a Bimmer (wrong expectations? May be)
- No navigation. You need to buy some 40k+ card to activate it. What kind of trick is that?
- No Apple CarPlay
- The command system wasn’t great to use
- Rear seats lacks under thigh support
- The spare ate most of the boot space (like, Bimmers nowadays)

After a similar longish TD, I too assumed that this is the one that is coming home. Drive was decently engaging as well as the ride was super plush. There really wasn’t much to complain.

Dealership experience was nothing special. This was my 3rd visit to this showroom as I did visit it couple of times in past to check the older generation C class. Every time they made sure that the experience is lacklustre at the best. There was no real energy in the sales process. I did get to meet the TL of the sales team and he was good but again nothing special. I mean they didn’t try to connect with the customer and his needs. Also, it was not very professional either. In nutshell, it was like visiting any typical local shop in Pune from 1pm to 4pm. Puneri people will know what I mean.
Anyways, we all liked the car a lot and decided to head home and take a final decision. However, it took us one more week to conclude on which car and just to be extra sure, we decided to visit both the showrooms once again and check out the cars. No TDs, just to feel the cars.
Again, the outcome was same. We liked C220d more than A4. Both made us offers and also gave us estimate for our current car. This was Saturday. We again sat down at home and went over the car brochures to discuss and hopefully decide.

BMW 3GT:

Even though we were quite inclined towards C220d, somehow we couldn't picture ourselves driving around in it. Also, the non inspiring sales experience was on our minds too. Add to that they offered the least for our 320d which was not so old either. So we decided to check a couple of cars more before deciding. The only problem was that there were no more options to check.

XE & Volvos are something I would not look at due to their sales numbers.

So wife suggested we visit BMW and see if we like anything. I knew what I like: 320d MSport! But that is not going to be an option as I don’t want my family to compromise on the ride quality for the sake of better handling. I enjoyed the outgoing car to the fullest and that's good enough.

With almost no expectations we went to Bavaria motors. And about in 15 mins of us walking in, we decided that GT luxury line it is!

The SA was super busy that day due to it being a Sunday and there was some sales event as well. Also, the main rush was due to pre-GST offers and amazing deals that were being offered on F10s.

I was already nominated a SA a couple of months ago when I causally inquired an offer. The same SA walked us through a White GT which was parked in the showroom.

We had a good look at the car inside out and went through all the features. Panoramic sunroof was an immediate hit along with the new iDrive. My son is a true navigator and he simply loved the fact that this car has Navi. At 4 he can read maps and understand the directions and the big map on iDrive was all he needed to give his opinion on the car.

Car had beige interiors and there was too much of it. A concern about maintaining it did come to our minds but then we were done with all black interiors and were looking for something more fresh.

SA also asked us to check out a 530d F10 which was the last they had before launching G30. The deal on that one was too tempting but again we weren't looking for a bigger car.

After spending almost 2 hours we left for home asking the SA to call us back with his offer on LCI white GT which was available in stock. He made first offer there itself and I declined.

After almost an hour he called back and promised to better the offer if we come back to the showroom that day itself as that was their last day of pre-GST offer. I was about to leave for a business trip out of country next day so thought of closing the deal that day itself.

We went back at around 5pm and after a couple of negotiation rounds booked it with delivery promised on 1st July. Got a sweet deal on my 320d as well.

So in the end it was going to be another Bimmer. I wasn't complaining!

Dealership experience:

I would give a five star rating to the dealer here in Pune. Bavaria motors was not only professional through out but was very courteous too.
Following are few reasons why the experience with them was excellent:

- Timelines were followed without any lapses.
- Complete and trustworthy information was provided. For example, the difference between pre-LCI and LCI models was explained in detail. I found this lacking to certain extent at the Mercedes dealer.
- Very welcoming staff. Everyone right from watchman to the manager were a part of sales team. Again compared to this at Mercedes, I was bluntly and borderline rudely asked to park my vehicle outside the campus (which is not exactly convenient) even if there was huge space available inside.
- My old car was evaluated within 30 minutes of my request. Audi was similarly fast in doing so. Mercedes took 1 week to come back with an estimate.
- SA was super proactive. He was very busy on that particular day but he was efficient enough to manage multiple customers without concerns. Same was the thing with Audi's SA (very proactive).
- Delivery day experience was even better. Car was ready and super clean with all the stuff inside it. My SA had some personal commitments and hence asked if I can take delivery on Monday instead of Sunday. When I declined he immediately arranged it on Sunday itself and was present there for the whole time. Kudos to him!

Delivery Experience:

We had to rush things (papers and all) once we booked the car as I would be out of town for a week and wanted to take delivery on next Sunday.

I had my doubts about the delivery schedule commitments as there was hardly any time to get the car ready and there were many deliveries planned in that week. However, to my pleasant surprise the SA assured on Saturday that they will hand over the car on Sunday itself.

Junior thought we are giving away his favorite car. Trying his best to stop us:


We (wife, son, me and two of my super best friends) reached the showroom around 11am. We went in a friends car and Bavaria's drivers helped us with the valet parking.

There it was, all shining and ready to be taken home. Everything was set except the registration number which would take another couple of days. Doesn't matter.

Singed few papers including the tyres warranty and replacement document which apparently had wrong serial numbers. Signed again.

The folks from Bavaria kept a car cover, a box of sweets, two pen drives and a cap in the car as freebies.

A quick pooja followed:


Exchanging gifts:


Car had more than half a tank. Love such small gestures. Just makes it more memorable. Small things go long way.

Got behind the wheels and straight away felt at home. Couldn't wait longer to take it out on a highway.

All in all, an excellent experience at Bavaria motors, Pune.

[the_skyliner]

The initial impression:



Even though likes and dislikes are mentioned at the start of the thread, BMWs are more than just objective analysis.

Have driven the car for around 3k kms so far and simply love the way it drives as well as rides. Even though the car is quite huge, it handles itself with ease. The car is driven 60% in dense city traffic on narrow roads and right from day one it doesn't make you uncomfortable at all.

It is super smooth both in terms of gear shifts and power delivery from the engine. The "launch" effect is less in 3GT compared to 320d. I like it this way. Especially considering the fact that I travel 90% with my family in the car, the smoother the drive, the better it is for them.
Also, as a non spirited driver I like linear power delivery over the sudden surge of turbo. This car does provide a good balance between the two.

There is an automatically operated rear Spoiler which gets activated post 120 kmph and that supposedly helps to improve the handling, however I didn't get a chance to experiment with that.

Rear visibility is limited but with the rear camera and sensors it is easy to manoeuvre. However, the visibility at front is excellent. Better than the 320d for sure.

Engine & Gearbox:


This is the same engine that was in my earlier car however there is definitely some refinement done. It feels much smoother and also somehow less noisy. It still has considerable diesel engine clutter but you don't feel it inside the cabin unlike in older 320d.

It has solid low end torque which makes it easy to drive within city and in dense traffic. Mid range is good too and so it doesn't die on you when you try to build speed from 40kmph for overtaking. The car picks up speed with super ease and keeps building it without the driver noticing it. One has to be careful and keep an eye on the speedometer otherwise it is easy to overshoot one's limits.

It does however loses steam if you stretch it in 2nd/3rd gear beyond 4k rpm. There is no power delivery beyond that and it is just revving the engine. But downshifting does make a huge difference in pulling that surge from the engine. My favourite is downshifting from 5th/6th to 3rd/4th for overtaking or while going uphill.

Gearbox is way smoother than the older 320d. The launch effect is less and thus makes it more comfortable for city driving. This 8 speed ZF unit is really fun especially with those paddle shifters. In sports mode, it acts as if it will jump out of it's skin. It does hold the gears for a much longer duration in sports mode than comfort mode. So the change in driving mode is really worth it and this gearbox plays a huge role in that.


The gear lever is amazing. It is ergonomically well placed as well as it is fun to use in tip ironic mode. I personally do not like the "P" button on the gear lever. What will happen if someone presses it accidentally at high speeds? I still prefer this over the one in Merc. At least it is placed where it is supposed to and not on the steering column.

Haven’t tracked FE yet. Will update on this later on.

Ideally, I would have loved to go for 330i this time but due to lack of a good deal on that one plus resale value was a concern.

Suspension & Handling:


This car has way better ride than 320d. Yes, it does come at a price of losing out on that super stable handling but it's worth it when you travel with family most of the times. RFTs are not a concern for me and there is no plan to swap them with tubeless. Tubeless might help the suspension life as well as improve ride but I feel more secure with RFTs than tubeless. Had experienced the benefits of RFTs especially during a tyre burst event and since then swore by them.

The ride comfort in comfort mode is a tad better than in sports mode. There isn't a huge difference like it is in 320d. It does stiffen up in sports mode but the ride is still not bad. May be if I shift to Pirellis, the sports mode ride might get more stiff. Continentals, I feel offer better ride comfort over Pirellis at a little loss of grip.

Handling is not at par with 320d and for obvious reasons. If 320d rides like its on rails then this behaves as if on monorail. Confident, but one has to be careful on curves unlike the former. There is in fact a slight hint of body roll in comfort mode but in sports mode it handles perfectly well. Bigger wheels definitely help but even bigger (R19) or staggered setup might enhance the handling further.

I am happy with what it offers in handling section. No way I am going to push it to the limits so that's fine. What is good though is the balance between ride comfort and handling. If not the best, then at least good of both worlds.

Steering & Brakes

This is another mechanism of Bimmer's that adds heavily to the overall driving pleasure. Neither Audi nor Merc could match up with the form, feel and function of this car's steering.

It is super accurate. I couldn't believe that it can be so accurate. Even at slow speeds it is right on the money. At higher speeds it is even better and inspires confidence. Like the gearbox, you can clearly feel the difference in the steering's dynamics in comfort and sports mode. This is definitely one of the USPs of BMWs. Paddle shits are fun and easy to use. I rarely use them within city but use it frequently on highways and ghat sections.

It's chunky and the material is of high quality. I would have loved to have //M steering though. Probably will get it fitted 2-3 years down the line.

Good brakes make the car fast. This thing stops like it has reverse thrusters (okay, I am biased). Discs all around (ventilated?) and those wide tyres bring it to a halt in no time. A couple of times I had to brake hard on Mumbai-Pune E-way and the car never sweat neither did it go out of track. However, traction control does get irritating at times especially on a rough surface and you feel the car is braking desperately to keep it on track. So far, I haven't been courageous enough to switch it off.

Few observations:

Hydraulic stopper for the bonnet:


Harness seems to be well protected:


Air filter (quite easy to remove):


"Twin" makes all the difference:


Engine cover is quite well padded:


Notice the yellow plastic cover which covers the cut out of steering rack for LHD version:


Exhaust:


For heat dissipation of LEDs (It gets very hot real quick):


Wiper fluid lid (Thanks to BHPian amey, I now use distill water only):


What's that? Looks scary. We couldn't conclude what it was:


Padding on bonnet for sound proofing:


Plastic inserts to close gaps under the hood (got to love the attention to details):


Steering has speed limit setting buttons on the left side:


And media buttons on the right side:

[the_skyliner]

The Interiors:


Interiors of this car is way better my outgoing 320d. Even though the layout is same, the material quality has moved one notch up and newer iDrive is much improved. Interiors is one of the major reason to go for this car. Space is more than 5 series, be it leg space or head room. This car has acres of it. All beige make it appear even more roomier.

Panoramic sunroof is huge:


It makes the cabin feel roomier than it is plus it keeps the rear passenger entertained on a long drive:


I see no use of opening the roof but the glass is amazing. It is tinted so hard Sun won’t matter much. The buttons to operate are also well placed overhead:


The armrest could have been little longer than it is. I find it more useful to the co-passenger than the driver:


The space under it is good enough for your phone and other similar stuff. It also has USB and Aux ports. A small LED lamp is also provided which is quite useful during night times:


Dashboard is well laid out:


The quality of materials is definitely better than my earlier car but nowhere close to C220d or even A4.

However, the iDrive is way better than the Command system of Mercs and I dare to say even better than MMI of Audis. The UI is simply amazing to use. It is more user friendly than the other two systems. The screen is also decently placed compared to other systems. Doesn’t feel like a iPad stick to dashboard.



I have always been a fan of iDrive. It is simple to use yet loaded with functions and elegant as well. I found the screen resolution to be much better than the command system. Also, the UI makes it more fun to operate than Audi's MMi. This car comes with an improved iDrive compared to pre-LCI models. It has a touch pad which you can scribble on letters and use it for navigation input, media search, etc.

Maps are quite up to date (of course not as accurate as Google maps) however I found the destination info entry to be unsuitable for Indian street addresses. Zooming in and out is quite easy though.


Notice the limited input options for entering the destination:


There are two separate buttons dedicated to navigation. One is used simply to display map without any navigation and the other is used to operate navigation function:


Media function is the best among all. It has a 20GB HDD inbuilt. Importing media in to it is super easy. I attached my external HDD which had lot of non media files but it imported only media files and without any fuss.

You can select a track/album/artist/genre from either Music collection (20GB HDD) or CD/DVD or Radio or AUX or USB or your phone via Bluetooth. With so many options one will never run out of options on a long journey.

Or you can use the letters from the famous alphabet wheel of iDrive:


Vehicle settings tab has setting options for lights, doors, etc.


You can select the ambient colour option from here along with adjusting brightness of the same:


Settings for exterior lights, that is headlamps for "take me home" lights can be adjusted from here:


The amount of opening for boot door can be adjusted from iDrive:


You can choose the door locking and unlocking settings. I prefer to keep all doors lock and unlock from the press of simple "unlock" button on the key.


Drivers profiles can be set using iDrive. You can adjust the drivers seat, eco pro mode configuration and lights settings for individual drivers. I have no use of this as the car won't be driven by anyone but me.

Auto air circulation can be activated with setting up time to ensure fresh air is circulated when the car is standing idle for a long time. I am sure this will come handy in hot summer days.


TPMS (it also shows the pressure in all four tyres unlike the earlier older iDrive where you will only get notification once pressure is lost in any of the tyres):


It calculates pressure when in motion. Takes about 1-2 kms drive based on speed.

Notifications option on iDrive is something I found extra and could have been skipped easily. I just shows the list of notifications, if any.

Reverse camera has good visibility and brightness. Even at nights or at darker places it is good enough. There are three markers to guide the distance to obstacle using colour coding.


Red:


Yellowish:


Green:


The sports seats in my earlier car had fantastic contours and those bolsters were amazing. However, it did lack the feel of nice leather. The seats on 3GT are not as sporty but definitely more comfortable and the leather is amazing. It smells great too.

Even though the front seats do not offer extra bolster like in Sportline, they provide excellent lumber support.


The memory function is quite useful in case you have multiple drivers. Seat adjustment can be stored in drivers profile which can be linked to the individual keys. For me this is not much of an use as 99% it will be me driving the car.


No memory settings for passenger seat.

Space at rear with front seat all the way forward:


And then with the front seat all the way back:


Armrest at rear has two cup holder which can accommodate 1L pet bottle too:


It also has a storage space to store your phones or keys or alike:


The boot can be accessed from rear seat by folding down the armrest:

[the_skyliner]

The exterior:


Like any other Bimmer this car too is built like a tank. The panels are heavy (bonnet) and the gaps between them are consistent. I am one of those who believe in "more the metal, stronger it is". The continuous shoulder lines run all the way from tail lamps to the fenders and gives the car it's imposing stance. What adds to the aggressive stance is the butch rear and slanting roof. Width wise and length wise it appears to be bigger than it actually is. May be it is more so in white colour.

The R18 wheels with 225/50 rubber on them looks appropriate. I might upgrade to R19s later on as a justice to the butch rear.

Looks best from this angle:


The differentiating rear:


The frame-less doors complete the sporty looks:


There is an interesting feature called "comfort entry" which can be activated via iDrive. If you press the unlock button twice on the key, all four windows will roll down 30-40% to enable smooth ingress. Pretty neat.


The grill-merged-with-eyes is a hit or miss design for many. I like it.


The car is shod with continentals 225/50/R18:



Badging on fenders with the "7" shaped diffuser:


Huge boot but space saver is the spoil sport here:


Tail lamps are LED:


Front fog lamps are adaptive too:


Parcel tray is attached to the boot door and covers the whole boot area:


Three options to close the boot door: button on door, remote key or manually.


Guess how this photo was taken:


Rear spoiler can be activated using a switch on driver side door or automatically beyond a certain speed (120 KMPH). I doubt that it makes any huge difference unless you are on a track or driving at insane speeds. Neither is realistic for me.


Rear view camera is nicely tugged in the boot handle:


Shark-fin antenna:


Turn indicators on the ORVM:


Although not so bright from front:


Front parking sensors not exactly smoothly merged in the bumper:


Front tow threads nicely tugged using a small cover:


Windows are 70% transparent:


Here is how they look:


Space saver is alloy however too thin profile (135/90/R17):


A small hole to place fuel lid while refuelling (pretty neat):


Corona rings - truly beautiful:


Some random click:


We had some company (that's BHPian Manesh_Nambiar's Daytona R):

[the_skyliner]

Few animated GIFs:

The whole rear seat can be folded in one go by pulling handles on both sides. Very convenient it is:


Remote tail gate opening:


And can be closed remotely as well:


Tailgate has anti pinch feature to avoid any serious injury:


Sunroof in action:


Rear spoiler can be deployed by a pressing a button on driver side door:


As the doors are frameless, the windows are pull down by 2-3mm whenever the door is opened to avoid breaking the glass. And once you close the door the gap is closed automatically:


Adaptive headlamps:

[the_skyliner]

Other Bits & Summary:

Boot door and hood release buttons ergonomically well placed:


There are hooks on both sides of the boot to hang hand bags:


Which can be folded flat:


A charging port with spring loaded cover provided near the hook:


A good quality strap to keep the manual and other small stuff secured and first aid kit is behind that panel:


First aid kit:


Notice the unprotected harness (Not cool, BMW):


Space saver is secured by using rails and stoppers:


Without the space saver and seats folded flat, one can actually go camping! That's BHPian Manesh taking a nap:


Without folding the seats, you can still go camping:D:


That's how flat the seats can be folded:


There is an option to change the back angle of rear seats to slightly increase boot space:


However, I found it useless and it is nearly impossible to sit with that seat back angle:


Emergency/breakdown signboard well placed inside boot door:


Easy to remove:


This is what keeps the parcel tray attached to the boot door. Easy to disengage:


Parcel tray completely covers the insides of boot:


Buttons well laid out on the driver side door. There is a button to deploy rear spoiler:


Headlamp switch is on dashboard next to the steering column:


Vanity mirrors are on both sides and come with auto lit lamps:


Overhead unit to operate the roof and lights:


Tiny speakers on the the front doors:


Notice the soft lining inside the door pockets. This was missing in the C and A4 and that makes me wonder which of these three is a better car in terms of attention to details?:


A decent size storage space next to the steering column:


Rear AC vents are not exactly efficient and it does take sometime to cool the rear cabin:


Rear door from inside:


MID has a screen at the bottom which displays navigation commands:


A neat party trick:


Summary:

We buy cars not only to go from A to B but to explore and enjoy the best of engineering that is out there. German automakers are pioneers in that. BMW is no exception and it is probably a step ahead of it's peers when it comes to being a driver's car. This is obviously no news but it is still worth mentioning as we all (well, most of us) are car enthusiasts here.

Before taking delivery of the car, there was this doubt in mind that I will keep comparing this one with 320d and probably even regret giving away a better drivers car. But that is not the case at all. This car is fun too if you can be little careful and know the limitations.

All in all, I am glad that we decided to get 3GT instead of others and I am sure few years down the line, the feeling will be same.

If you are looking for a family oriented yet a fun car then this one definitely counts.

Just one last surprise: if you haven't noticed yet, the car was bought without a single TD.

Credits:

A big super-duper "Thank You" to Sukiwa as without his photography and the whole day he spent for the shoot, this review wouldn't even be half interesting (that is, if it is interesting at all):


He not only spent a day shooting but spent lots of hours prepping the pictures and helped me put the whole thread together.

Also, a vote of thanks to BHPian Manesh_Nambiar too for his helping hand:

[Rehaan]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line.

Thanks for sharing this awesome report!

[R2D2]

Congratulations @the_skyliner. Thanks for sharing the review with animated gifs that depict the car's features so well.

Here's wishing you & your family many happy and safe journeys in the car.

[dre@ms]

Was completely glued from first letter S till d:
Excellent write-up and some awesome pictures, esp. liked the GIFs rather than youtube videos.
The navigation screen is that small or will protrude more?
What other colors are available on the GT?

[rahul_jo]

Big congratulations for acquiring this beast of a car. Although I am a big 3 series fan. However, The GT commands that extra "LOOK AT ME I AM DIFFERENT" factor on the roads.

This definitely turns a lot more heads than most other BMW's. Wishing you many brilliant and joyful miles with this beast.

[carmayogi]

Originally Posted by the_skyliner

What's that? Looks scary. We couldn't conclude what it was:
Attachment 1684676

To my relatively trained eyes, that just looks like a bit of engine oil that may have spilled when they were filling the car either in the factory or topping it off at the dealership. Don't think it is anything of importance.

I too love the 3 GT as it's the only one, for me at least, between the C, A4 & XE that offers luxury rear with driver focused front/driving characteristics. I converted an uncle of mine from a C220 CDI to the 3GT and he is very very happy with it. He drives the weekends and does his daily commute from the backseat on the weekdays.

[Lone Ranger]

Congrats! The pictures are lovely and cover so many of the finer details. Which location were the pictures taken? The second picture is especially good! I was always under the impression that the ride quality of the mercs was plusher than those of the beemers, while the beemers aced the mercs when it came to driving feel. Mind you, I've driven neither of the marquees, so this is purely my theoretical understanding

[Rudra Sen]

Congrats! Beautifully written with extreme detailing. Add to that brilliant images from Sukiwa. GT looks very imposing no doubt.

As the doors are frameless, the windows are pull down by 2-3mm whenever the door is opened to avoid breaking the glass. And once you close the door the gap is closed automatically

Mercedes CLA has the same feature. It could be a standard safety feature for frame-less door.

[RoverX]

Heartiest congratulations on acquiring the 3-GT, sir. It's indeed a mean machine, sort of like a compact shark. The raised rear section and stubby boot lend it a profile like few else. That's an extremely engaging report, and your explanatory GIFs were just a treat to watch!

Originally Posted by the_skyliner

Dealership experience was nothing special. This was my 3rd visit to this showroom as I did visit it couple of times in past to check the older generation C class. Every time they made sure that the experience is lacklustre at the best. There was no real energy in the sales process. I did get to meet the TL of the sales team and he was good but again nothing special. I mean they didn’t try to connect with the customer and his needs. Also, it was not very professional either. In nutshell, it was like visiting any typical local shop in Pune from 1pm to 4pm. Puneri people will know what I mean.

It's pretty appalling to know that the Mercedes dealership had such a cold attitude towards the prospective buyer. If anything, the SAs in the dealerships of the German trio are the ones who need to work the hardest to ensure that the customer isn't lost to one of the two opponents. BTW, I totally relate to the unsaid "nothing between 1 to 4 PM rule of Pune!

Originally Posted by the_skyliner

The Interiors:
Attachment 1684072

Red:
Attachment 1684106

Yellowish:
Attachment 1684107

Green:
Attachment 1684108

You've rightly pointed out, it's a LOT of beige in here, especially when compared to the other Bimmers that get the beige treatment inside. I wish the pillars were black, at least. Also, wasn't there an all-black option to choose?
I seem to be missing something here; kindly help me out. The obstruction in the reversing camera is on the right, but the parking sensor display is showing warnings on the rear left. Isn't it supposed to be on the right?

Also, don't worry about that spilled fluid, sir. It's probably just oil that got spilled during a top-up and they missed while wiping it off.