BMW has been building hype for the first-ever M3 Touring for months now with many official teasers on top of a multitude of prototypes, and ahead of the performance wagon’s expected debut this summer, spy photographers were able to capture it on public roads one last time.
As far as the design of the car is
concerned, it will be identical to the normal M3, with the obvious exceptions
of the long roof, rear hatch, and cargo area that make it a wagon. In short,
the bumper designs, lighting, and graphics should remain exactly as they are on
the sedan. With that being said, there are some mechanical differences between
the Touring and the normal M3, mainly with the suspension and chassis bracing
to accommodate the heavier rear end while still providing driving dynamics
worth of an M badge.
The engine in the M3 Touring will be the
same S58 twin-turbo 3.0L inline-six found in the M3 and M4 Competition, which
should be making the same 503 hp and 650 Nm of
torque. That engine is expected to be mated exclusively to the automaker’s
xDrive all-wheel-drive system, which would fit the Touring’s practical wagon
image. Should that be the case, the car likely won’t come with a manual
transmission option, as BMW only currently offers the AWD M3 and M4 with an
8-speed automatic.
Thanks to the images provided by BMW of
the 3-Series’ mid-cycle refresh, we know the M3 Touring will get the new
i4-style interior found in the facelifted M3, which centers around a massive
curved display integrating the digital gauge cluster and new iDrive 8
infotainment system into a single unit. The M3 Touring is expected to be fully
unveiled this summer, likely in June, as part of BMW M’s 50th-anniversary
festivities, which we know will include such vehicles as the M4 CSL and the M3
CS.
