BMW Purges its Lineup

In an effort to streamline its lineup and realign its focus, BMW is getting rid of its models which has been deemed an ill fit for the brand's future direction. And so on the chopping block goes the 3 Series GT, 6 Series GT and 6 Series Gran Coupe. These three models are all going to be gone once the 2020 model year comes along.

The announcement comes as BMW aims to be more discerning about the number of variants it wants to give its vehicles from 2020 onward.

"Measures already in place to reduce product portfolio complexity are being expanded and also applied to model derivatives," BMW said in its press release. The German car maker said that its decision is a reaction to "a cooling global economy" and increased production costs, among other considerations.

The death of the confusing not-a-sedan-but-not-a-crossover-either 3 Series GT was announced in March, with BMW citing that it will focus on crossovers and SUVs more than sedans and hatchbacks moving forward.

The end of the 6 Series GT and Gran Coupe variants comes as the 8 Series becomes the flagship model. That said, the Gran Turismo will remain available in Europe for 2020, as it remains a popular model in the region.

Along with the announcing the demise of these three models, BMW reiterated that it wants to invest more on electric vehicles and electrified cars.

BMW's huge sellers, the X3, X4, X5, and X6 are all scheduled to begin production this month, with each receiving thorough design updates. Meanwhile, the new X1 is slated for release next month, and the 2020 X2 began production in July of this year.

The German brand is also targeting 12 all-electric models by 2025, starting with the debut of the iX3 by the end of 2021, and the i4 and iNext electrics soon to follow.

BMW also reaffirmed its promise to develop its own self-driving technology, adding that the iNext electric car will have Level 3 autonomous driving capabilities and enabled for Level 4 autonomy tests.