The BMW 3 Series Wagon is Probably Dead: Here's Why

Timothy Cain
by Timothy Cain

Why? Surely you jest.

Why is an automobile manufacturer’s U.S. arm killing off its lone remaining wagon? You don’t need to ask, for the answer lies therein: it’s a wagon. So they’re done with it. Insert the proverbial duh.

A report on BimmerFile.com, sourced both anonymously and from prolific BMW forum user Scott26, says the current BMW 3 Series Sport Wagon will be the last iteration of the car imported by BMW USA.

BMW USA spokesperson Rebecca Kiehne responded to TTAC’s inquiry regarding the 3 Series Sport Wagon’s rumored demise earlier today: “Unfortunately, we are unable to comment on future models and/or changes. We can however confirm, per MY17 Model Update Press Release that the US will receive a BMW 328d xDrive SW and a 330i xDrive SW for the 2017 model year.”

In other words, BMW isn’t even promising a 2018 3 Series Sports Wagon, let alone a MY2019 or next-generation car. BimmerFile says production of the 3 Series wagon ends in June 2019.

Known internally as the F31 and labelled as the Touring in many markets, BMW USA offers the long-roof 3 Series exclusively with all-wheel-drive and in either 328i xDrive ($43,645, including destination) or $45,145 328d xDrive Sports Wagon form.

BMW doesn’t release a monthly bodystyle sales breakdown for the 3 Series, which is now marketed as a sedan, Sports Wagon, and Gran Turismo hatchback. Largely because of decreased demand for wagons and increased demand for highly profitable crossovers, competitors have faded away.

The only Audi Avant sold in North America is the A4 Allroad. Mercedes-Benz’s new C-Class Wagon, while part of Mercedes-Benz Canada’s lineup, won’t venture south of border. Lexus gave up on the idea of a wagon after the IS’s first-generation SportCross failed to take off. Acura’s TSX SportWagon died with the TSX. Through the first five months of 2016, Volvo USA’s V60 is down 39 percent to 1,139 units. The higher-riding V60 Cross Country and XC70 combined for 2,442 sales during the same period; Volvo’s two crossovers produced nearly 20,000 sales.

Fewer than 3 percent of the 3 Series’ in stock in the United States, according to Cars.com, are of the wagon variety. Loosely and imperfectly translated, this would equal approximately 730 sales over the first five months of 2016, or 0.5 percent of the BMW Group’s total U.S. volume to date.

BMW USA currently sells more than 5,200 X1s and X3s per month plus another 4,700 X4s, X5s, and X6s.

[Images: BMW]

Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures. Follow on Twitter @goodcarbadcar and on Facebook.

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  • Evolver Evolver on Jun 22, 2016

    I have a 2014 in Alpine White 14000 miles, I'd be willing to let it go for the right price. This car is awesome! But I really miss rowing my own gears :(

  • Ronin16 Ronin16 on Nov 10, 2016

    I leased a 2014 F31 328ix 3 Series Wagon back in 2013. Loved it. Not one issue. My 3 years were up, and reading about the demise of the F31 in 2019, I decided to lease a 2017 F31 330ix Wagon. Just picked it up on 10/28/16. It is awesome. I will seriously consider buying in straight out in 2019 when my lease expires. I will post some pics soon. Maybe if BMW offered the 335ix or now the 340ix engine option on the F31, more enthusiasts may have purchased them. But, the USA was the only market, that the 340ix was NOT offered. Too bad. Paul

  • Whynotaztec Like any other lease offer it makes sense to compare it to a purchase and see where you end up. The math isn’t all that hard and sometimes a lease can make sense, sometimes it can’t. the tough part with EVs now is where is the residual or trade in value going to be in 3 years?
  • Rick T. "If your driving conditions include near-freezing temps for a few months of the year, seek out a set of all-seasons. But if sunshine is frequent and the spectre of 60F weather strikes fear into the hearts of your neighbourhood, all-seasons could be a great choice." So all-seasons it is, apparently!
  • 1995 SC Should anyone here get a wild hair and buy this I have the 500 dollar tool you need to bleed the rear brakes if you have to crack open the ABS. Given the state you will. I love these cars (obviously) but trust me, as an owner you will be miles ahead to shell out for one that was maintained. But properly sorted these things will devour highway miles and that 4.6 will run forever and should be way less of a diva than my blown 3.8 equipped one. (and forget the NA 3.8...140HP was no match for this car).As an aside, if you drive this you will instantly realize how ergonomically bad modern cars are.These wheels look like the 17's you could get on a Fox Body Cobra R. I've always had it in the back of my mind to get a set in the right bolt pattern so I could upgrade the brakes but I just don't want to mess up the ride. If that was too much to read, from someone intamately familiar with MN-12's, skip this one. The ground effects alone make it worth a pass. They are not esecially easy to work on either.
  • Macca This one definitely brings back memories - my dad was a Ford-guy through the '80s and into the '90s, and my family had two MN12 vehicles, a '93 Thunderbird LX (maroon over gray) purchased for my mom around 1995 and an '89 Cougar LS (white over red velour, digital dash) for my brother's second car acquired a year or so later. The Essex V6's 140 hp was wholly inadequate for the ~3,600 lb car, but the look of the T-Bird seemed fairly exotic at the time in a small Midwest town. This was of course pre-modern internet days and we had no idea of the Essex head gasket woes held in store for both cars.The first to grenade was my bro's Cougar, circa 1997. My dad found a crate 3.8L and a local mechanic replaced it - though the new engine never felt quite right (rough idle). I remember expecting something miraculous from the new engine and then realizing that it was substandard even when new. Shortly thereafter my dad replaced the Thunderbird for my mom and took the Cougar for a new highway commute, giving my brother the Thunderbird. Not long after, the T-Bird's 3.8L V6 also suffered from head gasket failure which spelled its demise again under my brother's ownership. The stately Cougar was sold to a family member and it suffered the same head gasket fate with about 60,000 miles on the new engine.Combine this with multiple first-gen Taurus transmission issues and a lemon '86 Aerostar and my dad's brand loyalty came to an end in the late '90s with his purchase of a fourth-gen Maxima. I saw a mid-90s Thunderbird the other day for the first time in ages and it's still a fairly handsome design. Shame the mechanicals were such a letdown.
  • FreedMike It's a little rough...😄
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