In 2022, BMW will be handing out the prize for the fastest MotoGP qualifier for the 20th time, and this year’s car is a special one. Yes, the winner will drive home in a first-ever M3 Touring, finished here in the stealthy Frozen Black paint from the Individual catalog. The dark look continues with the 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels as well as on the inside where the electrically adjustable M sports seats are wrapped around in Merino/Black leather upholstery.
The xDrive- and Competition- only M3 Touring is seen here sharing the track with the official MotoGP safety car for the 2022 season. The super wagon has been chosen to properly mark 50 years of M and will make its first appearance on track at Silverstone this coming weekend for the British Grand Prix following its public debut earlier this year at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
As always, the winner of the fastest MotoGP qualifier will be decided at the end of the season. Frenchman Fabio Quartararo won the title in 2020 and 2021 when he received the keys to an M2 CS and an M5 CS, respectively. Marc Márquez has won no fewer than seven awards in a row, while Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner have each grabbed three cars. Jorge Lorenzo has won two times, while Nicky Hayden and Sete Gibernau each grabbed the BMW M Award once.
A long time coming, the new M3 Touring is finally coming after the likes of the Mercedes-AMG C63 Estate and Audi RS4 Avant with a potent 3.0-liter inline-six. The twin-turbo engine makes 510 horsepower (375 kilowatts) and an ample 650 Newton-meters (479 pound-feet) of torque to send the speedy estate to 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standstill in 3.6 seconds while 0 to 124 mph (200 km/h) is completed in 12.9 seconds. Flat out, it does 174 mph (280 km/h) provided it’s equipped with the optional M Driver’s Package. If not, the top speed is electronically capped at 155 mph (250 km/h).
A forbidden fruit in the United States, the M3 Touring costs just under €100,000 (before options) at home in Germany.
Source: BMW
