The BMW M3 model family is welcoming a Touring addition to the ranks for the first time, offering an intoxicating blend of exhilarating performance and practicality.
Offered exclusively in Competition guise with the M xDrive all-wheel-drive system, the BMW M3 Touring combines that race-car feeling with a distinctive character and immense versatility.
Power generated by the 510hp six-cylinder in-line engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology is channelled via the eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic and split between the four wheels as required. As a result, the BMW M3 Touring delivers blistering performance at all times both on the road and on the track. Agility and precision in the familiar BMW M tradition combine with unrestricted everyday practicality to give the BMW M3 Touring a distinctive identity showcased by its exterior design.
The highly anticipated M model will celebrate its global premiere at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on Thursday 23 June.
M-specific BMW kidney grille, large air intakes, flared wheel arches and side skirts. Its M-specific front end ensures the Touring is immediately recognisable as a member of the M3 family. At its centre is the vertical black frameless BMW kidney grille dropping down towards the road, its horizontally arranged M-typical double bars carrying a “M3 Competition” badge. The large intakes positioned in the lower section of the front apron optimise the supply of air to the drive components and braking system. The apertures are each split into two sections and have honeycomb mesh covers.
When viewed from the side, the distinctive proportions of the Touring blend with its flared wheel arches, characteristic M gills and extended side skirts. Together with the attachment parts for the front and rear aprons, the sills form a Black high-gloss band around the car. This racing-inspired body element teams up with the front spoiler lip, aero flics for the air curtains and brace covers in the underbody area to enhance the car’s aerodynamic balance. The exterior mirrors in M-specific design with a Black high-gloss finish also optimise airflow. Full-LED headlights with U-shaped fibre-optic light guides for the daytime driving lights are standard for the BMW M3 Touring, as are BMW Individual lights Shadow Line with darkened inlays adorning their upper edges.
A rear compartment with exceptional practicality. Among the elements that set the BMW M3 Touring apart are its versatility and space. It has three full-size rear seats with the backrest able to be split 40:20:40, depending on how many passengers and how much cargo needs to be carried. In this way, the load capacity of the BMW M3 Touring can grow from 500 litres to 1,510 litres. Standard specification also includes automatic tailgate operation as well as a rear window that opens separately as on BMW Touring models.
M-specific interior features. The cockpit design combines with M-specific design features including red colour accents for the M buttons on the M leather steering wheel and the Start/Stop button on the centre console. The gear selector lever with Drivelogic switch has a leather surface with embedded M logo and stitching in BMW M GmbH colours. It also features an eye-catching cut-out with integrated cascade lighting. An anthracite-coloured BMW M headliner and interior trim strips in Carbon Fibre high-gloss are standard. The Merino leather-trimmed M Sport seats fitted as standard in the front of the BMW M3 Touring include multi-way electric adjustment with a memory function, and are also heated. M seat belts with a woven stripe pattern in BMW M GmbH colours are also included.
The BMW Curved Display is made up of a 12.3-inch information display behind the steering wheel and a control display of 14.9 inches, which merge into a single fully digital and high-resolution unit behind a frameless glass surface angled towards the driver. A number of special widgets are also available in the BMW M3 Touring containing information on the current vehicle setup, as well as tyre pressure and temperature. The BMW Curved Display enables the number of buttons and controls to be significantly reduced, with the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant and BMW Operating System 8 permitting intuitive operation using voice control and the touchscreen.
The cloud-based BMW Maps navigation system forms part of the standard BMW Live Cockpit Professional, which also adds the BMW Head-Up Display with M specific readouts. Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ come as standard as does wireless charging. The BMW ConnectedDrive Upgrades functionality allows new and improved vehicle functions to be imported into the BMW M3 Touring over the air.
Acoustic glazing for the windscreen, three-zone automatic climate control, an automatically dimming rear-view mirror and automatically dimming exterior mirrors that also fold in electrically all come as standard, as do a rain sensor with automatic headlight activation, customisable ambient lighting, electroplated controls in the door trim, and the Harman Kardon surround sound system.
Six-cylinder in-line engine with instantaneous power delivery. The 3.0-litre six-cylinder in-line unit stands out with its urgent power delivery and a healthy appetite for revs. The engine puts maximum torque of 650Nm between 2,750 and 5,500rpm and produces peak output of 510hp when the revs hit 6,250rpm. Its red line is 7,200 rpm. The straight-six engine powering the BMW M3 Touring also forms the basis for the unit in the new BMW M4 GT3 endurance racing car. Its power output, efficiency and track ability are therefore partly down to numerous components developed on the back of BMW M GmbH’s years of racing experience. These include a rigid crankcase with a sleeve-free, closed-deck construction, a forged lightweight crankshaft and a cylinder head with a core manufactured using 3D printing.
Eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic. The eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic fitted as standard is perfectly attuned to the engine’s performance characteristics. A direct connection to the engine and remarkably quick gear shifts lend themselves to a performance-focused driving style, as do engine speed adjustment on downshifts in automatic mode and the ability to change straight to the lowest possible gear in manual mode. The M Steptronic transmission allows both fully automated gear changes and manual shifts using the M-specific selector lever or the standard shift paddles on the steering wheel. Nudging either paddle allows the driver to temporarily switch from automated to manual mode in an instant.
M xDrive all-wheel-drive system optimises traction and performance. The M xDrive all-wheel-drive system uses an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch in the transfer case to ensure fully variable distribution of the engine’s power between the front and rear wheels. Its rear-wheel bias adds to the M feeling while enhancing both traction and agility. The system features integrated wheel slip control for quick adjustments to power transmission. This intensifies the sense of unruffled poise for which M models are renowned.
The BMW M3 Touring is available to order now, priced from £80,550 RRP.