The BMW M3 Touring unveil is literarily just around the corner. Early this week, BMW will finally unveil their first-ever sports wagon M3. And as it has been the case lately, the car leaked already. The full details are still under wrap, but there is one thing that the leaked images might have revealed: a standard roof.
Of course, the decision to forgo the carbon fiber roof might simply be a cosmetic one. The inclusion of a carbon fiber roof would also require some changes to the trunk and to the roof spoiler. It’s also fair to assume that the take rate on a carbon fiber roof won’t be as high as on an M3 or M4. The M3 Touring will play more on public roads than on the track, so weight savings are less important.
Yet, the BMW M3 Touring can keep up with its brothers on the track. According to the BMW M, the G81 M3 Touring lapped the Green Hell in 7:35.06 minutes. In comparison, the BMW M4 CSL lapped the track in 7 minutes 20.207 seconds.
The leaked images also revealed the model: BMW M3 Touring Competition. The “Competition” badge at the back confirms what we’ve been saying all along – the Mercedes-AMG C63 Estate rival will be sold only in the hotter version, which brings along with it the automatic transmission. A forbidden fruit in the United States due to high homologation costs, the M3 Touring will be offered exclusively as an xDrive model.
BMW has already shown the 2023 M3 Sedan with the iDrive 8 so it’s only fitted that the M3 Touring will get the same setup. On the left, there’s a fully digital 12.3-inch instrument cluster joined by a larger 14.9-inch touchscreen. Carbon bucket seats will also be an option inside the M3 Touring, while carbon fiber bits remind us of its sporty character.
The M3 Touring will celebrate its world premiere at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, a four-day event kicking off on June 23 and ending on June 26. Interestingly, the long-roof M3 will be joined by the first-ever M3 Touring MotoGP Safety Car.
