Fans of both BMW M and Touring models have been asking the German car maker to make an M3 Touring for… well, since forever. Ever since the E30 M3 came out along with a regular E30 Touring model, many fans have been dreaming about such a combo. Unfortunately, even though BMW M did offer a couple of Touring models over the years, none of them wore the iconic ‘3’ on the boot.
Those who are more in tune with the BMW world probably already know where this is heading. Alpina has been offering a souped up version of the 3 Series Touring for quite some time now. For the latest generation this model wears the B3 Biturbo badge on the boot and it is quite a spectacular model. It has more power than the old M3 and M4 and is faster to 100 km/h (62 mph) from standstill.
Alpina has migrated towards comfort and luxury in recent years and even though the straight line performance is unbelievable, it’s a different story in the bends. That’s where a proper M3, set up for high-performance driving instead of absorbing the bumps, would stand out. Don’t think the Alpina B3 is a bad car to drive, it’s just that it’s not as precise and composed as an M3 would be.
Then again, maybe those looking for an M3 Touring aren’t necessarily interested in a rock hard suspension, right? After all, the reason why a lot of people buy Touring models is the added practicality that comes with them. The added comfort in certain cases, too. Most of the time, it will be a family car. And to that end, the B3 is brilliant. But don’t take my word for it, check out Rory Reid and his thoughts on the matter as well.
