BMW M3 Touring
MODEL TESTED: M3 Competition xDrive PRICE: £86,365 POWERTRAIN: 3.0-litre 6cyl twin-turbo petrol, 503bhp
PRICES for the M3 Touring start from £86,365, which is £5,315 more expensive than the equivalent saloon. The optional extras fitted to this car include the £11, 250 Ultimate Pack, the £7,995 Pro Pack (which features carbon-ceramic brakes) and £2,985 for Frozen Pure Grey metallic paint. These extras lift the total to £105,910. Tech highlights
TO create its first-ever M3 estate, BMW ’s M division took the M3 saloon as a template, and mixed newly developed chassis upgrades with existing modifications from elsewhere, to make up for the estate body’s reduced stiffness.
The Touring borrows the M4 Convertible’s rear brace, which connects the back axle and the transmission tunnel, and complements the existing M3’s engine bracing and reinforced suspension mounts. BMW has also introduced new spring and adaptive damper rates to compensate for the Touring’s unique centre of mass. Variable-ratio steering, with different levels of assistance to choose from, is standard. Brake response can be altered via the drive menus on the touchscreen, and carbon-ceramic brakes can be added if more stopping power is needed. They’re part of the £8,395 M Pro pack, which also raises the M3’s top speed from 155mph to 180mph.
That performance comes from the M3’s 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight six. The stats match the saloon’s; that means 503bhp at 6, 250rpm, and 650Nm of torque from 2,750-5,500rpm. Power is sent to all four wheels, although 4WD Sport mode is more rear-biased, and rear-wheel drive is possible once the stability control system is deactivated. In this final mode, a 10-stage traction control system lets the driver tailor a very specific amount of slip from the back axle to maximise on-track performance.
SAFETY: The standard 3 Series was awarded five stars when it was assessed by Euro NCAP in 2019. Aside from the safety assist category, the BMW beat the highly rated Tesla Model 3 across the board.
On the road
THE transition from saloon to estate car has barely changed the M3’s character. It’s still incredibly rapid, reassuring and fun – if a little on the firm side.
AROUND TOWN: Even within the first few yards, it’s clear that the M3 feels purposeful, straining at the leash for a chance to show off the underlying performance. The ride is certainly firm – Sport and Sport Plus modes are too much for most UK roads – but it’s more sophisticated than the previous M3.
A & B-ROADS: Once you find those more open roads, the M3 comes alive. The firm low-speed ride begins to breathe more, giving you the confidence to exploit a fabulous chassis. Turn-in, balance and poise are all fantastic, while even in the standard four-wheel-drive mode, the push from the rear makes the M3 feel more like a rear-wheel-drive car.
Grip is enormous, and the BMW remains predictable even right at the tyres’ limit, which allows you to explore not only its agility, but also the performance. At seemingly any revs in any gear, straight-line speed is nothing short of stunning. The turbocharged straight-six delivers savage thrust all the way through to the red line, at which point each of the upshifts snap home with aggression (we found the second sharpest of the three options the best mix of speed and smoothness).
Bringing everything into check are those ceramic brakes, which deliver phenomenal power and confidence. Then you remember that you’re not driving a super-coupé, but a five-door estate car.
Our only real criticism is for the steering. It’s definitely responsive, but a little more precision and a lot more feedback would improve things.
MOTORWAY: Leave every customisable facet of the drive in their Comfort settings and the BMW settles into a fairly relaxing cruise. Road noise is a little intrusive, and at certain revs the exhaust note can be a little boomy, but it’s still a fairly capable (and surprisingly frugal) long-distance machine.
Ownership
THE M3’s cabin has a very contemporary look, particularly now that it features the brand’s latest iDrive 8 infotainment tech, which places a pair of screens measuring 12.3 and 14.9 inches beside each other on a gently curving display. This has moved more functions away from the dashboard to the screen, reducing the number of physical buttons. While this undoubtedly makes the design look clean, it does slightly compromise usability, although BMW has made a better fist of touchscreen controls than most.
Cabin quality stands up well to an asking price that can top six figures with a few select options; and with the optional carbon fibre-backed front seats, it’s possible to sit nice and low in the cabin. The steering wheel also has plenty of adjustment, so it’s easy for people with a wide range of body types to find the ideal driving position.
Usability is boosted further back, thanks to the M3 keeping the regular 3 Series Touring’s splittailgate design. This allows the glass rear window to be opened separately from the full hatch –perfect when you need to access the boot in a tight spot.
BMW offers a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty with the M3. A single year of breakdown cover is also included.
SEATS: Comfort is extremely important in any performance car. Not only do you need strong side bolstering for the hips and shoulders to hold you in place during hard cornering, but you also still need the comfort and support that makes the seat bearable on longer journeys.
Our M3 Touring came with the optional M Carbon Bucket seats. They save 9.6kg compared with the standard sports seats, plus they hold the driver in place superbly. They even add an extra level of bolstering between the thighs, but most of our testers found it very irritating – especially for those who choose to left-foot brake.