After decades of waiting, the M3 Touring from BMW has finally arrived. The company came very close to doing so almost two decades ago when it created one for the third generation M3 lineup.The project, however,was never taken past the prototype stage until now.
The 3.0-liter inline-6 twin turbo engine that powers the M3 Touring has the same specifications as the M3 sporty sedan. With an 8 speed automatic and all wheel drive, the M3 Touring has only been launched in M3 Competition version.
The engine comes in 503 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque to power the M3 Touring. With this setup, the vehicle can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 3.6 seconds, from 0 to 124 mph in 12.9 seconds, and can reach a top speed of 155 mph (174 mph with the optional M Driver’s Package). The M3 Touring will also lap the Nürburgring in a time of 7:35.06, which is the current record for a production wagon, making it the fastest in its category.
The 3-Series wagon’s body was made 3.3 inches longer and 3.0 inches wider in order to accommodate the M3’s unique rear axle. The M3 Touring weighs about 200 pounds more than the sedan as a result, but it also benefits from a large 53.3 cubic feet of storage (with the rear seats folded) and 50:50 weight distribution.
For track use, the sporty wagon has the option to disable the dynamic stability control, which results in drive going to the rear wheels only. It also has a sport mode that adds even more rear wheel bias.
There is an option to specify track tires instead of the standard forged 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels. The range of options also includes carbon-ceramic brakes.
Inside the M3 Touring – just like it’s sedan partner- there’s the newest dashboard layout with floating screens for the infotainment hub (14.9 inches) and instrument cluster (12.3), which run the most recent version 8.0 of BMW iDrive. In addition, there are bucket seats made of carbon fiber that can save weight by about 21 pounds.
