The first series-produced BMW M3 Touring is taking shape.
It’s been confirmed for Australia, although exact timing for its arrival hasn’t been confirmed.
A new teaser posted on Instagram points to the fact the M3 Touring will have an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.
Based on the official fuel consumption figures posted below the image, the Touring is more likely to be offered in xDrive Competition guise than base, rear-wheel drive or Competition rear-wheel drive trim.
The claimed fuel consumption on the post is 10.3L/100km, up 0.2L/100km on the all-wheel drive Competition sedan likely due to its extra weight and different aerodynamics.
The higher-spec M3 Competition and M4 Competition have 375kW and 650Nm from their turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six.
The claimed 100km/h sprint time is just 3.5 seconds with xDrive all-wheel drive fitted.
Expect a wagon to be a few tenths of a second slower.
The rear-wheel drive-biased M xDrive system is mated with BMW’s Active M Differential in the M3 and M4, which ensures fully variable distribution of torque between the rear wheels.
You can also switch off the DSC entirely and engage 2WD-only mode.
Reports have suggested the M3 Touring will launch in Europe in 2022, with most global markets receiving it by early 2023.
When it’s revealed, the new long-roofed M car will be the first mass-produced M3 Touring in the model’s long and storied history, the company only ever building a prototype E46 M3 wagon in 2000.
BMW’s reluctance to make an M3 wagon has long proved puzzling, particularly as it has launched M-branded versions of much of its SUV range.
That’s left tuning firms like Alpina to pick up the slack with fettled 3 Series wagons.
It’s also left this niche wide open for the likes of the Audi RS4 and Mercedes-AMG C63 wagons.
BMW has been somewhat more willing to dabble in the segment above, offering an M5 wagon for two short stints: from 1992 to 1995 (the E34) and from 2006 to 2010 (the E60).
MORE: Everything BMW M3
