BMW M3 COMPETITION TOURING

HAS IT BEEN WORTH THE WEIGHT?

- GEORG KACHER

HAVING TURNED 50 last May, the BMW M division is still in celebration mode. This year, the Garching power brokers are going to spoil their fan base with the new M2, M3 CS, M4 CSL and M3 Touring to be followed by the XM flagship, i7 M60 and X1 M35i.

Ever since the first E30-based 3 Series Touring popped up in 1986, the brand community hoped for an M version of the five-door holdall. But although the go-faster branch had in fact built an M3 Touring prototype derived from the E46 platform which spawned the very first CSL, management took fright at their own courage and black-flagged the project at the eleventh hour.

Disillusioned by the slow-selling M5 Touring (E34 of 1992-'95 and E61 of 2007-'10), the M3 Touring was laid to rest for good until the CEO Frank van Meel picked up the red thread his predecessor Markus Flasch had started to spin during his 2018-'21 tenure as head of the M Division.

First shown at last year's Goodwood Festival of Speed, production of the Touring began in December. Fresh from the Munich assembly line with under 1000 clicks on the clock, our tester promptly drew a crowd at its first fuel stop. The most practical M offering this side of the X models also turns heads thanks to its wider, lower and longer stance further accentuated by the pricey optional carbon fibre body kit.

The upright rodent-fangs kidney grille remains a polarising design element, but the piercing laser headlights, contrasting black roof and tail spoiler, dark 19/20in wheels and the vocal quad-tailpipe exhaust surely tick all the right boxes.

Further boosting the street cred is the optional M Race Track Pack featuring carbon-ceramic brakes, a higher 280km/h top speed and a pair of striking carbon-fiber bucket seats which are only marginally more comfortable than they look.