> Next-generation BMW M3 will reportedly be offered as both a sedan and a wagon
> May be introduced by late-2019
It certainly looks like there’s a sizable demand for a sporty wagon in Europe. Enough for BMW to sit up and go the Audi A4 Avant/Mercedes C63 Estate way. So what’s all the fuss about? Well, reports suggest that BMW not only has plans to add a 3 Series Touring to the line-up, but now there’s talk about a full-fledged M3 Touring joining the range.
Besides this being the first time an M3 Touring version has been envisioned, it also shows the extent to which the brand will go to meet demand. Both the Audi A4 Avant and Merc’s C63 Estate have been available as wagons from some time now.
Codenamed G21, the M3 Touring looks to borrow the next-generation M3 saloon’s reduced ground clearance with flared wheel arches, tidier handling skills along with more-or-less the same performance output, if not more.
Although there’s been no confirmation from BMW on the engine front, sources expect the twin-turbo 3.0-litre straight-six engine to be re-tuned to make more power than the current 460bhp/600Nm. This will help it pose a threat to the Audi RS4’s 450bhp/600Nm or Merc’s C63 S that makes 510bhp/700Nm.
Since the regular 3 Series Touring is slated to be introduced in early 2019, one can safely presume that the BMW M3 Touring version will set European roads on fire by the last quarter of 2019. Stay tuned to CarWale for the details.
