The capable, useful, and fashionable 3-series Sports Wagon is the only wagon offered by BMW in the United States. However, act quickly since after the 2019 model year, the 3-series wagon will no longer be sold in the United States.
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The uber wagon that fans have yearned for for decades is now a reality.
There have been sedans, coupes, convertibles, and even a pickup truck in the more than 30 years that the BMW M3 has been produced. (If you don’t trust us, look it up on Google.) Yet there’s a shape the M3 has never used. A factory-built BMW M3 Touring is what we would refer to as a station wagon. That has now changed. In addition to the four-door sedan and closely comparable two-door M4, BMW has officially confirmed that the G80-generation BMW M3 will also receive a wagon model.
Thankfully, it’s not April 1 yet, and it seems like BMW is committed to creating an M3 wagon. Hardcore BMW enthusiasts will get all riled up at news like this and wear their M-branded underwear in a bunch. To be fair, we’re also really pumped about the prospect of an M3 wagon. Currently, the M3 will include a switchable AWD system similar to the one found in the M5, a 3.0-liter twin turbo inline-six engine that produces something in the vicinity of 500 horsepower, and the option for a manual transmission. We are aware of that, however we are unsure of whether BMW will offer it for sale in the country.
Wagons are once again being offered by the majority of luxury manufacturers, but they tend to be raised, Subaru Outback-inspired vehicles. (See the brand-new Mercedes-Benz E450 All Terrain, Volvo V90 Cross Country, and Audi A6 Allroad.) However, prominent exceptions are the powerful 603-hp Mercedes-AMG E63S wagon, Audi RS6, and Porsche Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo S E-Hybrid. Despite this, Mercedes has particularly high levels of customer loyalty from its wagon customers (AMG or otherwise), who frequently rank among the wealthiest of the brand. In addition, wagons are only available by special order.
Wagons are not available here from BMW. While the 3 Series wagon had previously been sold in the United States, the current model of the 3er with a long roof isn’t offered to customers in this country. So, once more, will the long-awaited M3 wagon arrive in the US? With our fingers crossed, we contacted BMW for comment, but, uh, no. The M3 Touring won’t be arriving.
The M3 Station Wagon We’ve Always Wanted Is the BMW M3 Touring
The brand-new BMW M3 Touring, the first production BMW M3 station wagon, has changed all of that as of today.
Of course, the capacity to fit more items in the trunk is the main benefit of selecting the M3 Touring. 17.7 cubic feet of luggage can fit in the back with all five seats filled; if the back seat is folded down, there is more than 53 cubic feet of luggage space available. Additionally, the back bench folds 40:20:40, allowing you to lower the seat as much or as little as necessary to accommodate whatever you’re hauling.
Of course, it also has positive aesthetic effects. Although choosing the extended roof version doesn’t change the current M3 and M4’s Angry Birds pig face, it does smooth out and emphasize the car’s rear half, giving it a sleeker, more aggressive appearance that draws the eye in a manner the sedan arguably can’t match.
For those unfamiliar with BMW M terminology, the M3 Touring is only available in M3 Competition form, which means it is equipped with the car’s most potent turbocharged inline-six, which produces 503 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque, and sends that power to all four wheels via a M-tuned all-wheel-drive system.
The BMW M3 Touring is not intended for American consumers, which shouldn’t be shocking. Since the 3 Series wagon and 5 Series wagon have both left our shores, BMW no longer sells station wagons in this country. The 3 Series wagon lasted until the 2019 model year.
According to BMW’s management, homologating the M3 Touring on its own for the US market would be prohibitively expensive. Without other, less potent models to share the homologation burden with (as Audi does with the RS 6 Avant and A6 Allroad, and Mercedes does with the E63 and the E 450 All-Terrain), it would simply be “cost prohibitive,” a BMW spokesperson told BMWBlog.
However, if you start saving now, you might be able to pay the shipping fees to bring one over from Germany when it reaches the required age to be imported after 25 years. In that case, I’ll see you in 2047 on Bring a Trailer.
spy images and video of the BMW M3 Touring: a fast wagon is coming, but not to the US
An M3 wagon is what BMW M is preparing, and it will no doubt make enthusiasts salivate.
The car, which will be marketed as the M3 Touring in the majority of the regions where it will be sold, was officially announced over two years ago. Since then, it has been frequently sighted undergoing testing, including at the Nurburgring and on some of the roads near the German racetrack. The car will probably be a member of the revamped 3-Series family that will debut for the 2023 model year. It is related to the most recent M3 sedan and M4 coupe and convertible variants.
This new M3 Touring will be the first time the M3 has produced the longroof option. Touring is the word BMW uses for wagons outside of the United States. However, there have been M5 Tourings in the past.
Given that Audi ultimately introduced the RS 6 Avant (Audi jargon for wagon) to local stores for the 2020 model year, the most recent hot wagon war ought to have persuaded BMW to export the M3 Touring to the United States. In the United States, Mercedes-Benz AMG also sells the E 63 S Wagon. Unfortunately, BMW won’t budge. America, I’m sorry.
The M3 Touring would have been less expensive than the Mercedes and Audi even though it would have been smaller. It will immediately compete with the Audi RS 4 Avant and Mercedes-Benz AMG C 63 Wagon elsewhere.
Expect the BMW M3 Touring to have the same specifications as the M3 sedan, which means that its 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-6 engine will provide the vehicle’s power. The engine powers the M3 car with 473 horsepower in ordinary form and 503 horsepower in M3 Competition form. Rear-wheel drive and a manual transmission are the only options for the basic M3, while rear- or all-wheel drive and an 8-speed automatic transmission are the only options for the M3 Competition. It’s uncertain what the future holds for the M3 Touring, but it would be very disappointing if the manual weren’t available.
Fascinatingly, BMW nearly introduced an M3 Touring as part of the third-generation M3 lineup twenty years ago. However, the prototype was never given the go-ahead for production.
The contemporary M3 Touring should make its appearance soon, likely in May as part of BMW M’s 50th anniversary festivities. While the vehicle won’t be available in the United States, a hard-core M3 CSL is anticipated to arrive here soon. A solo BMW M SUV, to be known as the XM, will also be arriving soon.
For the Whole Family, A BMW 3 Series Wagon Is A Practical Deal.
Engineers lower the suspension to improve a vehicle’s handling. In light of this, station wagons ought to have superior handling compared to lifted crossovers, which sacrifice center of gravity in exchange for a higher ride height and the appearance of off-road capability. Despite this, a harsh connotation of “uncoolness” still permeates wagons in the United States because a whole generation of kids were transported in boxy Volvos and Caprices with faux wood paneling.
Wagon sales in the US in 2020 will be extremely low; as a result, only 1.4 percent of total sales will be made up of this body type. Even the longtime champion of the sporty wagon, BMW, no longer sells one in the US. The last long roof vehicle we received from Bavaria was the 2019 BMW 3 Series Wagon (F31 generation), and used examples are currently extremely reasonable.
BMW only produced two M wagons in the past, but it also created a few prototypes.
BMW just announced that it is developing an M3 wagon. And that’s significant since, since the term was first used in the 1980s, BMW has never issued an M3 Touring vehicle. The German firm did offer station wagon versions of the M5, but only for a few generations and for a very little period of time. The only high-performance wagons BMW has produced in recent years are listed below.
Similar to the sedan, it receives minor cosmetic changes and a significant novelty inside.
Sadly, BMW USA hasn’t sold many 3 Series Touring G21s, and the LCI’s release today won’t change that. The mid-cycle update for the 3er, as we’ve already seen with the sedan, includes subtle aesthetic improvements and a major interior makeover thanks to the installation of iDrive 8, which has significantly altered the dashboard. The 12.3-inch driver’s display and the 14.9-inch touchscreen are now integrated into the curved glass, which now occupies the focal point.
Here, a long-roof 3 Series is displayed with the M Sport Package, 330e trim level, and newly added “electrified by i” badge on charging port cap. While the PHEV variant is offered in the US, the 320e configuration is also offered in Europe and other markets. In fact, if you read the PDF document that is attached, you’ll see that BMW offers a far larger range of engines, including a number of diesels that culminate in an inline-six for the M340d. All engines now have 48V mild-hybrid technology thanks to the mid-cycle upgrades.
Will BMW ever again produce a wagon?
The official debut of the BMW M3 wagon is soon to come. According to a recent claim from BMW Blog, the German carmaker will introduce the brand-new M3 Touring this summer. According to the publication’s sources, it will take place early in the season. There is no reason to reject the story given that a recent BMW teaser film shows the M3 wagon once more appearing production-ready.
Even if the publication’s sources are wrong, they are probably not very far off. Midway through its two-year development cycle, the M3 Touring wagon is expected to be released by BMW in the summer of 2020. The vehicle appeared to be nearly ready when BMW originally teased it in August 2020, but since then, we’ve gathered a ton of spy photos that show the vehicle in active testing.
BMW makes wagons, but in 2021?
People simply don’t enjoy station wagons as much as they used to in the age of SUVs and crossovers of all sizes and forms, especially when there are so many equally or even more practical options available now.
However, there is a specific kind of station wagon that manages to balance between these two opposing realms. It combines the typical family car’s svelte and unassuming design with the utmost toughness of something more practical and capable after you run out of pavement.
These wagons are often available from a variety of automakers, and they range in price. Of course, the most well-liked/capable ones have always had pricier price tags; the Audi A6 Allroad is already well-known in this market. Audi later unveiled an A4 Allroad as a result of its popularity, which took place back in 2009.
Volvo has also been in the game for a while, and the V90 Cross Country is presently the A6 Allroad’s main competition. The A6 Allroad also faces off against the 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain.
We’re not precisely sure why, but BMW hasn’t shown any interest in creating a tough wagon using the 5 Series Touring as a model. Drawings like this one by Kolesa demonstrate that a G31 5 Series wagon’s overall look isn’t affected in the slightest by adding body covering and additional ground clearance. Additionally, the Bavarian automaker only needs to look at its competitors for proof-of-concept.
In the auto sector, it’s seldom a smart idea to maintain your position indefinitely. Before BMW chose to change its mind, there was never an M3 Touring. Until we finally received the M760i xDrive as a sort of compromise for the absence of an M7, which we predict will materialize sometime, they were also opposed to any type of M-powered 7-Series.
There is currently no reason to think that a modified 5 Series Touring (maybe renamed the Gran Wagon or Cross Wagon?) wouldn’t be as popular as the A6 Allroad or the E-Class All-Terrain. Given how it appears in these computer designs, it would definitely look the part.
Given that the A6 Allroad is only offered in the United States in 55 TFSI quattro condition, an analogous BMW 5 Series “Cross Wagon” would likely need to be available in 540i xDrive spec. The 540i xDrive uses its 3.0-liter inline-six turbocharged engine to reach 60 mph (96 kph) in under 4.6 seconds while operating as a sedan.
Although the higher wagon model could accelerate slightly more slowly to 60 mph and be little less enjoyable to drive, the overall driving experience wouldn’t be that different.