German car giant BMW has launched its first ever M3 Touring model – with its world premiere in Britain.
It has chosen the four day Goodwood Festival of Speed – which begins on Thursday – to mark the public global unveiling of the powerful new performance estate car costing from £80,550 with a top speed of up to 174mph.
Not only does it have enough boot space to transport 500 litres of luggage and room in the back for the kids, but it will also help drivers to hone their drifting skills – though sideways school runs are not recommended.
You won’t be late for the school run in this! BMW has unveiled its first official M3 Touring estate model
Often described as ‘a motor show at a country house tea-party’ the world-renowned festival takes place in the grounds of motor enthusiast the Duke of Richmond’s Goodwood House near Chichester and attracts major manufacturers, celebrities, and stars of motorsport and screen from around the world.
Indeed, fifty years of BMW’s fabled M motorsport division are being celebrated at Goodwood with Bavaria’s BMW honoured with pride of place on the lawn outside Goodwood House with a striking ‘central feature’ sculpture showcasing iconic models from BMW M.
Stretching nearly 4.8-metres long and priced from £80,550, the new BMW M3 Touring will be offered only in Competition trim with M xDrive all-wheel drive.
Order books open from September 2022, with first deliveries from early 2023.
The M3 Touring’s powerful 510 horsepower, 3.0-litre straight-six turbocharged petrol engine which is linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
It packs enough punch to propel it from rest to 62mph in just 3.6 seconds on to 124mph in 12.9 seconds.
On standard models, top speed is electronically restricted to 155mph, but buyers who pay an extra £2,095 for the M Driver Package can take that up to 174mph where legal, such as German Autobahns or the track.
Stretching nearly 4.8-metres long and priced from £80,550, the new BMW M3 Touring will be offered only in Competition trim with M xDrive all-wheel drive
Order books open from September 2022, with first deliveries from early 2023
The M3 Touring’s powerful 510 horsepower, 3.0-litre straight-six turbocharged petrol engine which is linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission
With soaring fuel prices, its thirsty average 28mpg economy is going to be heavy on the pocket – and even that is likely to be on the optimistic side given how enthusiastically owners are likely to drive it.
Similarly, CO2 emissions of between 229g/km and 235g/km will garner no friends with the green lobby.
But it is a practical proposition for owners who want to combine performance fun with family life.
The five-seater’s standard boot-space of 500 litres expands to 1,510 litres with three rear seats folded down.
And it is likely to be an understated star on the school run.
BMW says the new M3 Touring combines ‘combines agility and precision with unrestricted everyday practicality’ as well as ‘race-car feeling with a distinctive character and immense personality’.
At 4,794mm, the BMW M3 Touring is 85mm longer than the BMW 3 Series Touring, 76mm wider (at 1,903mm) and 4mm lower (at 1,436mm). It rides on large light-alloy wheels – 19-inch at the front, 20-inch at the rear – in jet black double-spoke design as standard or optional bi-colour diamond polished finish.
The M3 Touring packs enough punch to propel it from rest to 62mph in just 3.6 seconds on to 124mph in 12.9 seconds
It is a practical proposition for owners who want to combine performance fun with family life: it has five seats and up to 500 litres of boot space
BMW says: ‘The BMW M3 model family is welcoming a Touring addition to the ranks for the first time, offering an intoxicating blend of exhilarating performance and practicality.
‘It delivers blistering performance at all times both on the road and on the track.’
It will be able to drift, too.
‘Part of M Drive Professional, the M Drift Analyser helps the driver to sharpen their cornering skills using deliberate oversteer and precise counter-steering, making a note of the duration, distance and angle of the driver’s latest drift,’ the car maker adds.
‘The analysis shown on the control display also includes a score on a scale from one to five stars and a comparison with the driver’s best drift to date.’
It also comes with an ‘M Laptimer’, which records track lap times so you can aim to beat your personal best.
It will be able to drift, too, thanks to its ‘M Drive Professional’ system that includes an ‘M Drift Analyser’ that takes note of the duration, distance and angle of the driver’s latest drift
It also comes with an ‘M Laptimer’, which records track lap times so you can aim to beat your personal best
All examples get two pairs of 100mm diameter exhaust tailpipes finished in a dark black chrome as standard
As standard It has a black high-gloss roof and M roof rails in high-gloss Shadowline, but two solid paint shades and six metallic options are available, plus an array of BMW Individual colours.
It also features two pairs of 100mm diameter exhaust tailpipes finished in a dark black chrome.
Inside, an anthracite-coloured BMW M headliner and interior trim strips in carbon fibre high-gloss are standard.
Heated Merino leather-trimmed M Sport seats are fitted as standard in the front with multi-way electric adjustment and memory.
Buyers can also specify optional fully-electric M Carbon bucket seats with integral head restraints designed to fuse racing flair, lightweight design, and long-distance comfort.
A frameless curved glass display dashboard angled towards the driver comprises a 12.3-inch information display behind the steering wheel and a control display of 14.9 inches.
BMW employs directly a total of 8,000 people in the UK including at the MINI plant at Oxford, Rolls-Royce at Goodwood and the Hams Hall engine factory near Birmingham, plus 14,000 more indirectly at UK dealerships.
On standard models, top speed is electronically restricted to 155mph…
However, buyers who pay an extra £2,095 for the M Driver Package can take that up to 174mph where legal, such as German Autobahns or the track
Heated Merino leather-trimmed M Sport seats are fitted as standard in the front with multi-way electric adjustment and memory
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