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. 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. 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. The BMW M3 Touring is priced from £80,550 RRP in the UK. The highly anticipated M model celebrated its global premiere at the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
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. 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. The optional BMW Laserlight available as part of the Visibility package can be identified by the blue inlays inside the headlight units. It includes the cornering light and adaptive cornering functions with variable road illumination optimised for urban and motorway driving, plus the BMW Selective Beam non-dazzling High-beam Assistant. At speeds above 37mph, BMW Laserlight increases high-beam range to a maximum 550 metres and follows the course of the road dynamically.
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. The BMW M3 Touring is 85mm longer externally than the BMW 3-Series Touring at 4,794mm, 76mm wider (1,903mm) and 4mm lower (1,436mm). It also has particularly large light-alloy wheels – 19-inch at the front, 20-inch at the rear – in double-spoke design as standard in Jet Black or optionally in bi-colour diamond polished finish. M forged wheels with a double-spoke design can also be specified as an option in either bi-colour Jet Black or Orbit Grey matt. Special track tyres are also available as an option.
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. Two mono-scroll turbochargers with electronically controlled wastegates supply compressed air to the combustion chambers. An indirect intercooler supplied by a low-temperature circuit increases the effectiveness of the turbocharger. And the direct petrol injection technology operates at pressures of up to 350 bar with exceptional precision and efficiency. VALVETRONIC variable valve timing and Double-VANOS fully variable camshaft timing likewise form part of the M TwinPower Turbo technology. Meanwhile, the M-specific exhaust system with electrically controlled flaps generates a rich soundtrack.
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. The oil supply system has been designed to handle dynamic driving during track use. An additional suction stage allows the map-controlled oil pump to draw lubricant from the smaller chamber, which steps in when extra capacity is needed. The engine’s signature M performance profile, combined with the enhanced traction offered by M xDrive, translates into stunning acceleration times. The BMW M3 Touring takes just 3.6 seconds to power from 0 to 62mph and 12.9 seconds to reach 124mph from rest. The sprint from 50 – 75mph is over in 2.7 seconds (in 4th gear) or 3.5 seconds (in 5th gear). Opting for the M Driver’s Package increases the electronically limited top speed from 155 to 174mph.
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. It is also possible to execute multiple downshifts to the lowest available gear in manual mode by pulling on the left shift paddle while pressing the accelerator to the floor. M Steptronic does not force upshifts under acceleration in manual mode – even when the engine’s revs hit the limiter.
