Tuesday 15th March 2022

BMW tells M3 Touring origin story

This isn't the first time M GmbH thought about building an M3 wagon...

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You might say BMW is reasonably eager about the M3 Touring project, teasing it incessantly like the meanest of parents on the days approaching Christmas. We know it's coming and we know it's going to be special (at least if the M3 saloon is anything to by), but BMW refuses to show us very much at all.

Aside from a long, design-led look at the new derriere, don't expect too much more from this video, as it's largely focused on the heritage side of things. Still, on the plus side, that means a good gawp at that sensational E46 concept wagon, which still looks just about perfect all these years later. Being given such a detailed walkaround, just to see how production ready the one-off E46 M3 Touring really looked, only makes its demise more galling.

But, worry not, as the real M3 Touring is coming - "the fascination didn't die", according to Hans Rahn, BMW's head of prototype construction, it just took 20 years for the stars to align again. And boy does it look good. The standard G21 Touring is already a handsome estate, and the M3 in the video - in grey and without badges - looks great, its punchy M attitude there for all to see in the arches and exhausts. Interestingly, the new rear spoiler is 3D printed.

Cliched though it might sound, you can sense the enthusiasm for this project in the video. Dirk Hacker is also in it, responsible for all M model development. He adds: "The car was created by a small group of us with a lot of passion", the impression very much of a committed bunch of enthusiasts really proud they've convinced management of the Touring's viability. Makes you wonder what took so long, really, given the excitement around this car and the cohesiveness of the look. Well, from the back at least...

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• BMW M3 Touring (E46) | The Road Not Taken
• 2021 BMW M3 Competition | PH Review

[pSyCoSiS]

The new M3 Touring will be an epic car and will steal sales from the C63 and Audi RS4 wagons.

[corcoran]

Love the alloy design.

Assume this'll be AWD. So much want.

[Prohibiting]

What’s the width and height of the grill going to be?

[Fetchez la vache]

At least the front is still covered...

[sxmwht]

There's an M3 Competition near me, or at least there was, and I have to say that the large grille looks way better a) in real life and b) once it has our number plates across it. I was one who ridiculed it at first, and I still probably wouldn't choose one (if I had anywhere near the funds required), but some colours and the aforementioned points do help. Look forward to seeing one of these in the metal.

[gazza5]

So much want for this, but a shame I have about 2p saved so far.....

[Jegsy]

Lovely stuff

[David87]

Individual order in Dakar Yellow as I loved that colour on E36 M3s as a child. Yes, it would look mental, no I wouldn't care.

[Wab1974uk]

The dog will have the best view of the shrinking car behind !

[pb8g09]

Can’t imagine that these will depreciate much in the long run, sadly for me.

The grill loses the barf factor with a number plate and dark colour I think.

I still believe that like most things, peak life was 2014 and besides a small selection of niche cars like this, nothing released since then has really appealed for me.

[Bencolem]

Would take a new E46 M3 Touring over a new G21 M3 Touring every day of the week and twice on Sundays!

[Double-J]

I hope that rear spoiler is a bit more integrated when production starts. Looks like they ripped the one off the current M3 and popped it on the top of the boot lid just because it needs something.

[benzinbob]

For all those STILL going on about the damn grille, these guys have you covered

https://youtu.be/ByC5pH-12Zk

[EC2]

benzinbob said:

For all those STILL going on about the damn grille, these guys have you covered

https://youtu.be/ByC5pH-12Zk

It's true that they look better in the real world, with a full width UK numberplate, in a dark colour and/or with the black pack but whenever I point them out the family go yuk...and I'm not fitting a revised bodykit to a £70k car. i'm sure sales of the M3/M4 have been great and BMW are not stupid but some customers are not travelling with them anymore. Shame as I have had quite a few six and eight cylinder BMWs over 30 years but I am no longer the target market!

[asci.white]

Has a hint of ZM4 concept but with more aggression. Love it..

[Spiros115]

sxmwht said:

There's an M3 Competition near me, or at least there was, and I have to say that the large grille looks way better a) in real life and b) once it has our number plates across it. I was one who ridiculed it at first, and I still probably wouldn't choose one (if I had anywhere near the funds required), but some colours and the aforementioned points do help. Look forward to seeing one of these in the metal.

The grill really isnt so much of an issue on the super-aggressively styled M cars (save for the shamelessness of the PR grab, no function at all etc) and in your rear view mirror it has the intimidation factor they were going for, it's when you get to the lesser models, 420d m sport and the like that it looks truly horrendous, like some stuck on oddity on what is otherwise a nicely sorted shape. I would be amazed if sales figures on the 4 series have beaten previous models.

[benzinbob]

EC2 said:

benzinbob said:

For all those STILL going on about the damn grille, these guys have you covered

https://youtu.be/ByC5pH-12Zk

It's true that they look better in the real world, with a full width UK numberplate, in a dark colour and/or with the black pack but whenever I point them out the family go yuk...and I'm not fitting a revised bodykit to a £70k car. i'm sure sales of the M3/M4 have been great and BMW are not stupid but some customers are not travelling with them anymore. Shame as I have had quite a few six and eight cylinder BMWs over 30 years but I am no longer the target market!

I haven’t seen many on the road, I just don’t think M is hot anymore like in the 90s and 2000s, AMG and RS seem to be the most popular now. I’d have an E63 if I was to choose. Wouldn’t need to stick a bumper on it after I bought it neither.

[Harry_523]

But can you fit a towbar?

[AlexIT]

There's still one question I can't get over: why only now? What has prevented BMW to make an M3 in the past?

[David87]

AlexIT said:

There's still one question I can't get over: why only now? What has prevented BMW to make an M3 in the past?

Presumably it was doubts about sales and whether it was worth spending the development cash. I know all us anoraks on here get a hard for it, but a) there's not many like us and b) how many of those actually can / would buy one? The E61 M5 Touring was pretty awesome in its day (not so much now ), but I don't think BMW made many.