2024 has been an excellent year for BMW fans with a soft spot for wagons. Not only is the M5 Touring official back but its smaller brother went through a Life Cycle Impulse. Well, we’re loosely using the term “LCI” since the changes are not significant. The G81 has officially touched down in South Africa where the M3 Touring poses for the camera in Toronto Red.
From most angles, it’s hard to tell that this long-roof M3 has been updated. It’s only when you look at the headlights you realize they now look sharper. The daytime running lights have been reconfigured to resemble arrows and the laser high-beam has been dropped in favor of a matrix LED setup. BMW is finally offering a classic silver wheel finish but this car sticks to black. Lurking from behind the dark spokes are the gold calipers of the optional carbon-ceramic brakes. As before, there’s no carbon fiber roof option for the M3 Touring.
Zoom in on the rear badge and you’ll notice the silver contour the pre-LCI model did not have. Inside, the flat-bottomed steering wheel with a red 12 o’clock mark is also new for 2025. Elsewhere, the central vents have new adjustments to channel the air and come with ambient lighting. These are all discreet changes only diehard enthusiasts are likely to spot right away.
We also have a feeling most people won’t really notice the extra 20 horsepower underneath the hood. BMW has tuned the “S58” engine to 523 hp. In 2025, the twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six will receive another 20 hp for the M3 CS Touring. The hotter derivative will carry over the torque figure: 479 lb-ft (650 Nm).
The LCI arrived quite early in the M3 Touring’s life cycle considering BMW started G81 production in November 2022. Reports state that the last speedy wagon will be assembled near the end of 2027, leaving many good years ahead.
Source: BMW South Africa
