The upcoming BMW M3 Touring has caused so much hype that you could be forgiven for thinking it is an all-new vehicle carving out a brand new segment of the performance car market when, in reality, it is based around an existing model and will rival a number of already established players. That’s not to say it isn’t an enticing prospect. Quite the opposite, in fact.
In the lead-up to the car’s unveiled later this year, BMW’s social media team has been hard at work promoting the vehicle and detailing the story that has led to its creation. As part of the car’s promotional campaign, a series has been shared to YouTube about the vehicle and in this episode, BMW M speaks about the M3 Touring’s development process.
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Throughout the video, BMW acknowledges that while the M3 Touring does use many components that have already been tried and tested, such as its engine and transmission from the M3 Sedan and M4 Coupe, it notes that the car features a number of bespoke components, hence why it has taken so long to become a reality.
For example, the car features unique side frames. Then there is the process of actually building the car. Handling the manufacturing of the M3 Touring will be the same Munich factory that builds the M3 and the regular 3-Series Touring. This factory needs to be tweaked to also support the production of the M3 Touring and this is obviously something that takes time.
The clip then details some of the car’s development program which is being performed, in part, at the famed Nurburgring.
All signs point toward the BMW M3 Touring being sold exclusively in Competition guise. If that’s true, it will feature the same 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six as the sedan, pumping out 503 hp and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm) of torque which is sent to all four wheels courtesy of an eight-speed automatic transmission.