The new BMW M3 Saloon will be fully unveiled next month, alongside the BMW M4 Coupe. Good times. In 2021 we will see a BMW M4 Convertible, and after that … a BMW M3 Touring.
We do not speculate, and we do not make jokes. “In Garching, near Munich, home of the BMW M GmbH, work is underway on a further dream-come-true: for the first time in the history of the BMW M GmbH, the model will be supplemented by a BMW M3 Touring, ”said BMW.
Indeed, BMW speaks of its ‘fascination’ with the idea of a launch M3 (we want one forever, but whatever), pointing to the launch just 20 years ago of the simply stunning E46 M3 Touring prototype (pictured above). That car was never real, but this time it’s ON. “In the sixth generation of the BMW M3, it will not end with mere theoretical considerations and product-technical test series,” it said.
BMW confirmed that the ‘six-cylinder M TwinPower turbo engine’ at the front is ‘tuned in’ – so it will almost certainly be the same 500bhp 3.0-liter turbo unit that will show service in the M3 Saloon / M4 Coupe / M4 Convertible. Good car, that. And although we know that the M3 Saloon will get the option of a manual next to the eight-speed car, we are not sure if that will transfer to this Touring.
We also do not know if it is available with RWD en 4WD, but you can probably expect so much. Of course, it gets custom M Division suspension and chassis tuning, a wider track, “strikingly large air intakes” (plus a mahoosive grille, no doubt), and the all-important quad-tailpipes at the rear.
We are told that the final production M3 Touring is in the “early stages of its nearly two-year series development process”, so a time in 2022 would be a good judgment. And part of that development process involves track time on the Nürburgring, because “the first BMW M3 is Touring, primarily a BMW M3”.
Is it time now that we all just agree and say we’ve finished cars?
