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BMW’s performance wagon was seen running hot laps at the Nürburgring
by Sidd Dhimaan, onSpotting the BMW M3 Touring is like spotting a Mewtwo. It’s a beautiful Pokémon, but it’s rare. The last time we spotted the M3 Touring was back in 2020. Now, almost a year later, it has been spied again testing at the Nürburgring. However, there isn’t anything different this time around, and our spy photographers informed us that it even had the same registration number as the prototype from last year.
After Mercedes And Audi, BMW Also Enters The Performance Wagon Segment
The BMW M3 Touring was spotted last year during testing, but has been in hibernation ever since. 11 months later now, it has been spied again. Unlike its German counterparts, BMW has never had a performance wagon before. 21 years back at the turn of the century, the automaker came up with the E46 M3 Touring, but it never made it to production. It’s good to see that BMW remembers it has an unfinished product that could bring in good numbers given that wagons have gained prominence, at least in Europe.
The front fascia is nearly identical to the M3 and the M4. Not really good news if you can’t bear the look of the massive bucktooth grille. Just because it’s a wagon doesn’t mean it is subtle in the styling department. The cuts and creases are more than evident despite the camouflage. The M3 Touring looks just as aggressive as the M3 and the M4.
The wagon was seen riding on some pretty slick wheels, probably 21 inches, wrapped in low-profile tires. You can even spot winglets at the front and back, and the side skirts. The long-wheelbase also ensures that this will be a spacious wagon on the inside. The best part about the side profile is that the wagon looks very proportionate overall.
The taillights are the same as the M3’s. The rear is also just as aggressive as the rest of the profile, courtesy of the quad-tailpipe setup. A diffuser could be hiding behind all that skin. Apart from the spoiler, you can also see the shark fin antenna and another conventional antenna on the roof. Overall, the BMW M3 Touring looks pretty damn smart.
The M3 Touring Will Borrow The Standard M3’s Powertrains
In all likelihood, it will feature the same engine options as the M3 coupe. The standard M3 is powered by a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo six-cylinder engine that puts out 473 horses and 406 pound-feet of torque. Power is routed to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox.
There’s no reason why an M3 Touring Competition won’t be offered. In this case, it will make 503 horses and 479 pound-feet of torque from the same engine. Instead of the manual gearbox, the rear wheels will be powered by an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
Unless the automaker is not able to keep the prices in check vis-à-vis the prices of its rivals, you can expect an all-wheel-drive xDrive version to make the cut as well. This will be in the Competition form and will make the same power outputs as the latter.
Conclusion
There’s no word on when the BMW M3 Touring will arrive, but we speculate it will be officially launched next year as a 2023 model. When it arrives, it will go up against the likes of the Mercedes-AMG C63 Estate and the Audi RS4 Avant.
Check out all the spy shots below and share your thoughts with us in the comments section.
Picture credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
