The first BMW M3 Touring wagon will be priced from $177,500 before on-road costs when it hits the market in early 2023, with the goal of challenging the Audi RS4.
New from its recent Goodwood premiere Once unveiled in 2020, BMW’s über wagon becomes the fourth body style in the M3/M4 family.
As we’ve come to expect from BWM Australia, the M3 Touring will only be offered in the more aggressive Competition guise, with xDrive all-wheel drive.
The price makes it $8000 more expensive than present The M3 Competition xDrive sedan is $21,300 more expensive than the Audi RS4 ($156,200).
Power comes from a 375kW and 650Nm M TwinPower 3.0-litre inline turbo engine using an M-specific exhaust with movable spoilers, mated to an eight-speed M Steptronic automatic transmission and variable AWD. (but rearward bias) with rear differential.
Acceleration from 0 to 100km/h takes 3.6 seconds, one-tenth slower than the slightly lighter sedan.
As for the sedan, the M3 Touring development program includes tuning at the BMW Group’s Miramas facility in the south of France; winter trials in Arjeplog, Sweden; and obviously working at high speed at the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
In terms of dynamics, BMW claims the chassis tuning strikes “the ideal balance between sporty performance and driving comfort in everyday use and on long journeys”.
The M3 Touring has more stiffeners on the rear axle; new springs, dampers and anti-roll bars at both front and rear; and specific tuning for suspension, steering and ESP.
The adaptive M suspension uses electronically controlled damping, while the M Servotronic steering has a variable ratio.
The braking system offers two settings for feel and an optional M Carbon ceramic brake can be ordered. A variety of forged M light-alloy wheel designs – 19 inches for the front and 20 inches for the rear – is standard equipment.
The interior carries the latest BMW 8.0 operating system, with a 12.3-inch digital cluster and a 14.9-inch central touch screen placed behind a glass panel, angled to the driver.
Electrically adjustable M Sport seats with memory and heating, along with ‘Merino’ leather trim, are standard. The optional M Carbon bucket seat cuts about 10kg of overall weight.
In terms of practicality, the rear seat backrests can be split in a 40:20:40 fashion. Folding individual seat sections or all of them at once allows the tank’s load capacity to increase from 500 liters to a maximum of 1510L.
Automatic tailgate operation and individually-opening rear windows are standard, while a storage compartment beneath the trunk floor provides space for the trunk lid and trunk mesh.
Anti-slip rails that automatically lift from the trunk floor to prevent luggage from sliding around during faster driving are also standard.
Australia continues to be among the world’s best performing markets for the BMW M, with one in five BMW registered here wearing the M badge.
More than 600 models of the latest generation BMW M3 Sedan have been registered locally in the past year – bringing the model to the top of the BMW M sales charts in Australia.
Local specification and price
Highlights of the standard specification list:
- BMW laser light
- 19 inch / 20 inch wheels
- M Mixed brake, blue
- Active M Differential
- US adaptive suspension
- Electric tailgate
- Comfortable access (proximity key)
- BMW Digital Key
- Painted metal
- Full ‘Merino’ leather upholstery
- Ambient light
- Head-up display
- Luggage
- 12.3-inch digital cluster
- 14.9 inch touch screen
- Operating system BMW 8
- Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
- Wireless phone charger
- DAB + digital radio
- Harman / kardon surround sound
- M interior finisher – carbon fiber
- Heating the steering wheel
- Tire pressure monitoring system
Notable options include the $17,500 Carbon Experience (a lot of weight-saving carbon fiber) and $16,500 Carbon ceramic brakes.
Non-metallic paint (free)
- White Alpine
- Sao Paulo Gold
Metallic paint (free)
- Black Sapphire
- M Portimao Blue
- M Toronto red
- Green Isle of Man
- M Brooklyn Gray
- Gray Vertical Rectangle
- Red Aventurine
Personalized BMW Paint
- Dravit Gray ($ 2500)
- Tanzanite Green ($ 2500)
- Frozen Portimao Blue Metallic ($5000)
- Frozen Pure Gray Metal ($5000)
- Frozen Ferrous Metal ($5000)
- Frozen Orange Metal ($5000)
- Frozen Brilliant White Metallic ($7000)
THAN: BMW M3 Touring revealed, Q1 2023
THAN: BMW M3 Touring, inside the ‘extended’ tuning program
