Sport wagons are considered by many to be something of the ultimate high-performance daily driver, offering ample performance capabilities while still lending themselves to family hauling and grocery-getting duties. And after an extended hiatus, BMW is now returning to the sport wagon sector with the debut of the first-ever M3 Touring.
Following in the footsteps of BMW’s 2002 Tii Touring and E34 and E61 M5 Touring models, the all-new M3 Touring is based on the existing M3/M4 platform, though has received a slew of tweaks that make for a more practical and utilitarian vehicle — albeit without compromising the performance that BMW’s M cars are known for. In addition to now boasting a five door-configuration with a highly variable and modular luggage compartment, the M3 Touring also gains a revised stance with widened, M-specific axles, a tweaked chassis, a novel front intake design with oversized scoops, and a new quad-muffler exhaust.
Under the hood, the M3 Touring will feature the same B58 engine that’s currently found in the latest M3 and M4 models — a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six that cranks out 510hp and 480ft-lbs of torque. The Bavarian brand has also been extensively testing its upcoming sport wagon, both on the road, and at several race tracks including the Nürburgring Nordschleife, the Nardò Ring, and the Sachsenring. And, interestingly, aside from BMW’s turn-of-the-millennium-era E46 M3 Touring Concept — which wasn’t unveiled until 2016 — the upcoming M3 Touring will represent the first-ever M3-based sport wagon to ever see production.
While the BMW M3 Touring is expected to enter production in the next year or two, a prototype example will make its official public debut on June 23rd at the Goodwood Festival Of Speed.
