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Pros: immense power, engaging handling, practical cabin
Cons: divisive looks, high price, thirsty engine
The BMW M3 Touring has been a long time coming, but the German company has finally launched it. Like the M3 Saloon with which it shares so much, the new M3 Competition xDrive Touring takes the standard 3 Series body and adds more power, sporty styling and improved handling. The idea is to create the ultimate all-round performance car, but is the M3 estate really that good?
BMW M3 Touring Design
On the face of it, the M3 Touring is much like any other 3 Series estate. The proportions are much the same, and the silhouette is really very similar. To differentiate the M3 Competition version, though, there are a few visual tweaks inherited from the M3 Saloon. Chief among these is the massive front grille, which is something of a Marmite feature among BMW customers.
That aside, there’s a high-performance body kit including sportier bumpers and side skirts, as well as a sculpted bonnet and some little gills behind the front wheels. There are flared wheel arches, too, giving the whole car a squat and aggressive stance, while the back end features four exhaust outlets and an aerodynamic diffuser insert in the bumper.
The whole car sits on sporty alloy wheels with diameters of 19 inches at the front and 20 inches at the back, although customers can upgrade to larger wheels if they so wish. Lurking behind those rims are performance brakes with red callipers, although customers wanting greater stopping power can choose F1-style carbon-ceramic brakes marked out by gold callipers.
BMW M3 Touring Interior
In essence, the M3 Touring’s cabin is much the same as that of the latest 3 Series Touring. It still comes with the same Curved Display infotainment system that combines a sharp digital instrument cluster with a well-considered touchscreen, and you still get much the same smooth dashboard design.
Of course, BMW couldn’t resist making changes for the high-performance models, so an M-specific gear lever and steering wheel are thrown in, while carbon-fibre trim and a selection of shiny red buttons are also included. Sporty seats also feature, although customers can upgrade to carbon-backed bucket seats that pin you in place in corners but are awkward to get in and out of.
That aside, the M3’s interior will be familiar to 3 Series drivers. The touch-sensitive climate control system is far from the worst system we’ve encountered, but it’s still a downgrade from the physical buttons seen in the earlier 3 Series models.
But the M3 Touring inherits the positive aspects of the 3 Series’ cabin, too, which means the build quality is exceptional and the space on offer is ample. The taller roof means there’s more rear passenger headroom than in an M3 Saloon, while the boot is slightly larger and – more importantly – easier to access.
BMW M3 Touring Performance & Drive
Like the M3 Competition Saloon, the M3 Competition Touring is powered by a 3.0-litre, six-cylinder petrol engine with two turbochargers. That produces 510hp, which then goes to the wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. But unlike the M3 Saloon, the M3 Touring comes with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system as standard (it’s optional on the saloon), and that means it can put its power down more effectively in any weather.
According to BMW, the M3 Competition xDrive Touring gets from 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds – three tenths faster than the standard M3 Saloon and just a tenth slower than the all-wheel-drive M3. Flat out, it’ll do 250km/h, or 280km/h if you choose the M Driver’s Package.
That performance comes despite a weight increase of 85kg compared with an all-wheel-drive M3 Saloon, although BMW’s engineers seem to have performed some kind of witchcraft to keep that bulk hidden. The car doesn’t handle quite as well as its four-door sibling – it leans a bit more in corners – but it’s very nearly as good, with the same prodigious grip and tactile controls.
And it rides well, too, as long as you leave it in Comfort mode. The sportier settings become jiggly very quickly, and the M3 always feels stiff around town, but the softer mode makes it a capable long-distance cruiser.
BMW M3 Touring Pricing
The M3 Competition xDrive Touring starts at €151,105, which is quite a lot of money, but it’s just over €2,000 more expensive than an all-wheel-drive M3 Saloon. That isn’t a huge hike given the extra space, and you get all the same equipment. There’s the Curved Display infotainment system, all the M performance equipment and leather upholstery, not to mention heated seats, climate control and a reversing camera. Cruise control, adaptive suspension and a host of safety systems are also thrown in.
Carzone Verdict: 5/5
The M3 Touring may not be cheap, but it’s only slightly more expensive than its four-door sibling and noticeably more practical. That extra space comes at very little cost in terms of handling, making this one of the best everyday performance cars on the market.