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By Jonathan Crouch

BMW's M3 Touring is the M division's very first compact estate. Jonathan Crouch reports.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 48

For the first time, BMW brings us a Touring estate version of its M3. Which at last opens up ownership to family buyers of this iconic Munich-made super sports model. Tick off fiery performance, room for a trans-continental road trip and space for one potentially very queasy Labrador.

Backgroundword count: 164

British buyers love fast estates and they particularly love BMW's M3. Surprising then, that the Munich maker has never married the two things together. Until now. The M3 Touring was launched in late 2022 as part of the celebrations for the company's M division's 50th anniversary. This is the first time in seven generations of 3 Series that the full-fat M treatment has been applied to the Touring estate body style. Which we've always thought odd given the success over the decades of Audi's RS4 Avant and the Mercedes-AMG C 63 estate. M division estate cars of any kind have in fact been rare - we've only ever had two, based on older E34 and E61 versions of the larger M5, with only the latter ever offered in right hand drive. A concept M3 Touring version of the old E46 3 Series was made, but never productionised. So the introduction of this new M3 Touring is quite an event. Let's take a closer look.

Driving Experienceword count: 306

Like the M3 saloon and the M4 coupe and convertible models, the M3 Touring comes only in 510hp Competition-spec form. And you can only have it with xDrive AWD. The dynamic set-up is pretty much identical to that of the M3 saloon and there's only a fractional acceleration penalty for the extra weight of the extended bodywork. The 62mph sprint time is 3.6s, en route to 174mph with the optional 'M Driver's' package fitted. There's 650Nm of torque from the S58 3.0-litre twin turbo straight six which, as with this model siblings, works through an 8-speed auto gearbox and an active M differential controlling both axles. That uber-rapid potential is accompanied by a glorious roar from the active sports exhaust, whose soundtrack is one of the things you can alter either via this centre console 'Setup' button or the centre stack display's selectable 'M Menu'. Either way, you get to a screen allowing you to tailor your preferred drive settings and store your two most favoured combinations behind little red 'M1' and 'M2' tabs on the steering wheel - one perhaps for commuting, the other maybe for your favourite backroad. You can alter parameters for engine, transmission and steering; plus there are three 'chassis' options for the suppleness of the Adaptive M suspension with its electronically controlled damping; and two pedal feel settings for the M Compound brakes. Plus there's a centre console 'M Mode' button, which offers 'Road', 'Sport' and 'Track' settings, each of which changes the instrument display and the level of drive assistance system intervention. Braver folks can use the 'M Menu' to deactivate the DSC traction system and play with the track-orientated 'M Drift Analyser'. BMW's standard 'M Drive Professional' package also includes an 'M Laptimer', plus the brand has also redesigned the cooling and oil supply systems specially for circuit use.

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