It was only yesterday when ex-BMW M CEO Markus Flasch revealed some juicy tidbits about the first-ever M3 Touring and now the speedy wagon has been caught at the Nürburgring. Several prototypes carrying “B’Ring It On” side decals were seen by spy photographers while the test drivers were pushing the work-in-progress cars to their limits.
The fast-paced footage shows the M3 wagon wearing the full production body while being thrown around the many corners of the Green Hell. We can easily observe the hazard lights automatically coming on under hard braking as the test drivers were not afraid to abuse the prototypes to squeeze every last drop of performance.
Having already learned which sole configuration of the M3 Touring will be available, it’s safe to say we’re looking at a Competition-spec model with the automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. It will be BMW’s belated answer to the Audi RS4 Avant and Mercedes-AMG C63 Estate, but as the saying goes, better late than never.
It will obviously inherit the look-at-me front grille design of its sedan sibling, along with the quad exhaust tips typical of a fully fledged M car. BMW has been offering a speedy 3 Series wagon for a while with the M340i and M340d Touring M Performance duo, but the long-roof M3 will take things to a whole new level.
As you might have learned already, the fast estate was never part of the original plan for the latest-generation M3, but the former M head honcho insisted, and eventually got his way and the project was green-lighted for production. Two factors worked in his favor: the rear axle shared with the M3 Sedan and the addition of xDrive, which Markus Flasch referred to as being indispensable for this type of car. AMG would disagree with the latter statement since the C63 has always been RWD, with only the next-gen car getting 4Matic.
After decades of patiently waiting for the M3 Touring, which included an E46 M3 Touring tease, fast wagon enthusiasts will finally be able to buy one later in 2022, but not in the United States.
[Source: CarSpyMedia / YouTube]
