Is BMW finally giving us an M3 wagon?

Wednesday, 12 August 2020

BMW is gearing up to release the new M3 and M4 models in the next month or so and, as cool as they’ll be, they won’t quite be as cool as a high-performance wagon.

While Audi has had hot RS wagon versions of both the A4 and A6 (and, of course, started it all back 1994 with the legendary RS 2 Avant it co-developed with Porsche) and Mercedes-Benz has dropped in and out with wagon versions of both the C 63 and E 63 over the years, BMW has only ever done an estate version of the M5, never the M3.

Which is kind of annoying since the Bavarian manufacturer has a great platform to use in the M3/M4. People and tuning companies know this and have built various unofficial M3 wagons over the years but BMW itself has never fully committed.

Imagine this with lower suspension, more aggressive styling and a howling straight six under the bonnet.

That could be about to change, if the folks at BMWBlog are right. They claim a new M3 Touring has been given the green light from BMW’s top brass and could debut around 2024. It’s not official news though, with the blog citing a “trustworthy source,” adding “there’s a real possibility this is true.”

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Unlike Audi Sport and Mercedes-AMG, BMW M has never been big on wagons. Which makes this 2007 M5 Touring even cooler.

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The closest we currently get is the M340i xDrive Touring, a 275kW/550Nm wagon. It will hit 100kmh in a not-exactly-slow 4.5 seconds so a potential 375kW/650Nm M3 Touring should comfortably eclipse that, presuming it uses the new M3’s powertrain, which should make the 331kW/600Nm RS 4 a bit nervous.

The M3 and M4 sedan and coupe are due to launch soon. They’ll feature the X3 and X4 M’s new twin-turbo straight six making the aforementioned 375kW/650Nm in full-fat Competition spec.

A lower-powered Pure version will arrive at the same time, dropping output but adding a manual transmission for those after the truly ultimate driving machine. Competition versions will have the fully adjustable xDrive all-wheel drive system while Pure variants will be rear-drive only.

Both the M3 and M4 will get the new bucktoothed grille first shown on the new 4 Series, for better or worse.

The M cars will later be joined and actually exceeded performance-wise by the all-electric i4.