It’s safe to say BMW wasn’t expecting the M3 Touring to be such a smash hit. Had they known it would be so popular, fast wagon enthusiasts probably wouldn’t have had to wait until the G81. Many will agree the model has been a long time coming, especially since the Audi RS4 Avant and AMG C63 Estate have been around for so many years.
Better late than never, the long-roof M3 has been immensely successful thus far. M CEO Frank van Meel told Australian publication Drive the production in Munich has been doubled or even tripled compared to the initial plan. The decision has been taken less than a year since G81 started rolling off the assembly line as BMW kicked off M3 Touring production in November 2022.
Interestingly, the man in charge of the M division mentioned the typical buyer comes from a rival brand rather than jumping out of an M3 Sedan. In the automotive industry, that’s known as a conquest sale, and it’s pretty much the best kind of sale. As to why BMW didn’t add the model to its lineup sooner, Frank van Meel said the company waited for sales of the regular M3 to increase. It has happened with each new generation, and the executive believes the only way to further boost sales was to add the Touring.
While a decision to build a third-generation M5 Touring was likely taken a couple of years ago, logic tells us BMW M is now confident it has made the right move seeing as how the smaller fast wagon is already a commercial success. Giving the G99 a US visa the G81 sadly didn’t get should increases the chances of having another popular high-performance wagon.
Although M5 Touring pricing is certainly going to deter some buyers, the M3 Touring isn’t exactly cheap either. At home in Germany, it starts at over €100,000, and yet BMW has a hard time keeping up with demand.
Source: Drive
