Photo: Kolesa.ru
BMW started making the 1 Series back in 2004, but it wasn't its first modern compact car. Much like Mercedes, the Bavarian automaker had the crazy idea at the time to convert one of its executive sedans into a car for younger people. Thus, the 3 Series Compact was born.
Now, it wasn't the most beautiful car of all time, we have to admit. With a very limited budget, designers basically made a chopped version of the regular 3 Series. There were also two versions.
The original Compact came out in 1994 and was based on the boxy E36 generation. In 2001, a new model was introduced that kept some of the features of the old one but added the rounded corners of the E46, plus some of the ugliest headlights you've ever seen.
The upside to this car is that for not a lot of money you can have an E46 Compact with a big engine and RWD. That's big by BMW standards, by the way. The top-end model would be the 325 ti with 190 hp from a 2.5-liter six-cylinder. Every generation of young enthusiasts falls in love with this thing before moving on to bigger and better things.
BMW stopped making the Compact when the 1 Series came out. But there's a shortage of strange, ugly BMWs right now, so we want another one. The Russian website Kolesa has helped us imagine such a thing with some Photoshop magic.
Taking the current G20 sedan as their base, the Russians have shortened it into a 3-door body about the size of a Golf or Focus. It looks particularly strange from the back, with a tiny deck and wide hips.
Unfortunately, several factors work against this car. First of all, BMW hasn't got the money to explore such a niche. Affordable cars aren't really its thing either. Also, this style of car isn't popular, as virtually every European automaker has abandoned the 3-door body.
The original Compact came out in 1994 and was based on the boxy E36 generation. In 2001, a new model was introduced that kept some of the features of the old one but added the rounded corners of the E46, plus some of the ugliest headlights you've ever seen.
The upside to this car is that for not a lot of money you can have an E46 Compact with a big engine and RWD. That's big by BMW standards, by the way. The top-end model would be the 325 ti with 190 hp from a 2.5-liter six-cylinder. Every generation of young enthusiasts falls in love with this thing before moving on to bigger and better things.
BMW stopped making the Compact when the 1 Series came out. But there's a shortage of strange, ugly BMWs right now, so we want another one. The Russian website Kolesa has helped us imagine such a thing with some Photoshop magic.
Taking the current G20 sedan as their base, the Russians have shortened it into a 3-door body about the size of a Golf or Focus. It looks particularly strange from the back, with a tiny deck and wide hips.
Unfortunately, several factors work against this car. First of all, BMW hasn't got the money to explore such a niche. Affordable cars aren't really its thing either. Also, this style of car isn't popular, as virtually every European automaker has abandoned the 3-door body.
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