Connect 4: the four ages of BMW hatches

BMW HATCHES

The maker of ine sporting saloons has dabbled in the odd hatchback… or hatchfront

The new one 6-series GT (2017)

In BMW’s Numberland, 6 now means this, the GT. Lower, sleeker and longer than the 5 GT it replaces, thankfully it’s also more gainly as a result and swallows all the latest 5-series tech too. Popularity with buyers remains tbc.

The mirror-breaker 5-series GT (2009 2017)

Never one to shy away from trying new things, BMW’s original 5 GT was big and spacious – almost 7-series big in fact – but was visually challenging to say the least. It was no featherweight either and buyers didn’t really understand, generally preferring to remain non-buyers.

The mould-breaker E36 3-series Compact (1993 2000)

A canny bit of butchery saw BMW cash in on the premium hatch revolution, marrying the front end of the E36 with the rear suspension from the earlier E30. Sounds terrible, but was old-school fun and paved the way for the 1-series.

The old one Isetta 600 (1957 1959)

So maybe the hatch was at the wrong end and doubled as a door, but the 600 packed four seats into a laughably compact frame. Getting the shopping out of the back was a challenge, but parking something shorter than an original Mini was not.