Yes, the rumours were true. BMW has confirmed it plans to offer an M3 Touring for the first time in its history, though the newcomer is at least two years away.
The Munich-based firm has effectively pre-empted what will surely be a flood of spy photographs by confirming a new “five-door high-performance automobile prototype” will soon be seen driving around in the vicinity of its development centre in Garching (and on the Nürburgring Nordschleife therafter).
“For the first time in the history of the BMW M GmbH, the model range will be complemented by a BMW M3 Touring,” the company confirmed in a statement.
While the new M3 Sedan and M4 Coupé are both set to be revealed in September 2020 (with the fresh-faced M4 Convertible expected to follow in 2021), BMW says the wagon-shaped M3 is “still in the early stage of its approximately two-year series development process”.
The M3 Touring will feature five doors and what BMW describes as a “highly variable luggage compartment”. As with its siblings, expect power to come from the German company’s twin-turbo 3,0-litre straight-six engine.
Of course, whether the M3 Touring ever makes it to South African shores is another question altogether, considering the general lack of local interest in estate-shaped vehicles and the fact the standard 3 Series Touring isn’t marketed here…
