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Motor 1
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
The BMW M3 Touring Is Just Better Than the Sedan: Review
The BMW M3 was, at launch, a polarizing car. Not because of its power, nor due to its pedigree, but instead because of its odd maw. Time has been kind to the M3 (also the M4), and the public seems to have gotten used to the grille; the latest car isn't an unfamiliar sight on European roads, usually in a garish hue. A few years back, BMW teased the Touring spec (wagon to you and me), and the internet went crazy for it. People looking for performance and practicality finally had a new darling; the Audi RS4 and Mercedes-AMG C63 Estate had a new rival, and it was Bavarian. Quick Specs 2025 BMW M3 Touring Engine Twin-Turbocharged 3.0-Liter Inline-Six Output 503 Horsepower / 479 Pound-Feet 0-62 MPH 3.2 Seconds Weight 4,078 Pounds Base Price £91,775 (UK) With a mid-cycle refresh, the M3 gets gentle exterior tweaks like sharper headlights and some interior fiddling like a flat-bottomed steering wheel. Plus, BMW gave it a gentle power bump that will undoubtedly raise a few more interested eyebrows. In the UK, at least, the M3 is only available in the Competition spec with an automatic. That means the turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six fires 523 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic. Those numbers are the same whether you want a sedan, an M4 Coupe, or a Touring. Happily, in the load lugger, that means a fearsome 0-62 mph time of 3.6 seconds and a 155-mile-per-hour top speed—though, you can bump that to 174 miles per hour with more money. Plenty of grunt for people who need to do huge grocery runs in a big hurry. Photo by: Alex Goy | Motor1 Pros: The Face Finally Fits, Astonishing Speed, So Much Room For Stuff Being a wagon, the Touring offers extra practicality over the M3 Sedan. Rather than a 16.9-cubic-foot trunk, there's now 17.6 cubic feet of space with the seats up, and a vast 53.3 with them down—by comparison, an X3 gets around 20 cubes with the seats up and 60 with the seats down. A bit less for the Touring, but it comes in a less gawky package. BMW UK's test car is a handsome beast. Finished in a subtle gray that helps the car's swoopy bits look suitably muscular without being overwhelming, the M3 Touring looks damn fine in a parking lot or stuck in London traffic. Thanks to its pace, the chances of being able to take it all in on the highway are… slim. Ahem. Photo by: Alex Goy | Motor1 Photo by: Alex Goy | Motor1 Photo by: Alex Goy | Motor1 Inside, a big 'ol screen covers infotainment and instrument duties, and there are plenty of dramatic-looking surfaces to keep your eyes entertained if you get bored in traffic. Buried in there is the drive select screen, which allows you to flick between the usual drive modes or dive into the minutiae of the car to make various aspects angry or placid to suit your taste. You can even, with the right number of button presses, fiddle with the AWD system to make it a rear-biased monster, too. The level of choice is pleasing, but also a bit much—the modern need to have a car that can be all things to all people is justifiable, but in an M3, make the thing either wild or not wild. Giving Joe Blow the option to set the drivetrain, steering, and whatever else to be 'just so' seems sort of needless. Thankfully, the 'wheel-mounted M1 and M2 buttons allow you to map your setup of choice to a thumbable switch. Photo by: Alex Goy | Motor1 Cons: Those Awful Seats, Jiggly Ride, Blinded By Settings The M3 Touring comes with the option of M Carbon bucket seats with hard, pointy bolsters flanking each side and a bizarre carbon fiber junk tray in the middle. And they can be had in some truly interesting colorways (here in blue and yellow, which goes at odds with the subtle gray exterior, a bit like a dark suit with a bright pink lining, I guess). When you're in them, though, they're outstanding. The buckets keep you in place, don't pinch your wibbly bits, and allow you to play without worrying you're going to slide into the door. However, when you want to get into or out of them, you have to clamber over the hard bolsters in a most undignified manner. It takes the shine off turning up to your destination in a shouty car with quad-pipes when you have to extract yourself from the seat with all the grace of a freshly birthed giraffe. For god's sake, don't spec them. Photo by: Alex Goy | Motor1 Photo by: Alex Goy | Motor1 On the move, in its most inert setting, the M3's ride is the first thing you notice. A Range Rover it is not. While it'll take most roads well enough, the M3 is a little jiggly at low to middling speeds. Of course, this is to be expected from a car that prides itself on going very fast, so it isn't something you can legitimately complain about. But it is something you should know going in. Ride aside, in town it's just dandy to drive. It's a touch on the large side for London, which meant the odd bit of wincing in narrow lanes and tight parking lots (especially with the massive alloys at each corner). But this test car had a 360-degree camera to take the edge off. Obviously, the city isn't the right place for maximum attack mode, but giving the car a tickle to get through a small gap won't disappoint. The power is plentiful and delivered smoothly, though it does build with gusto, so keep an eye on the speedometer. Five hundred and twenty-three horsepower is a lot of grunt and needs to be deployed sensibly. On the highway, the M3 Touring is quiet, comfy, and smooth enough (though the ride can be a touch rough on nasty surfaces). Should you need to get past something, the go pedal will more than happily make that a reality. Photo by: Alex Goy | Motor1 The M3's real party trick is country lanes. Set the car to its most aggressive setting and let the thing do what it does best. The steering gives fantastic feedback, while the way it rides its torque curve is addictive and urgent. The acceleration doesn't seem to ever run out; it certainly doesn't let up until you reach the speed limit. Flicking from corner to corner, the car hides its 3,990-pound curb weight incredibly well. You expect its body to lollop from corner to corner, but no, it plants itself and grips merrily. It's a car that most people don't have the talent to touch the sides of, which is, considering how many of the things BMW has sold (nearly half of the M3s sold in the UK in 2023 had a long roof), probably a good thing. While the myriad modes are fun to mess with in the short term, you're best off leaving it in the normal setting for the daily stuff, and finding a 'mad' and a 'slightly more mad' setup for the programmable buttons for 'bad' or 'really bad' days at the office. No matter what you do with it, the M3 will blow the cobwebs away. Photo by: Alex Goy | Motor1 Photo by: Alex Goy | Motor1 In the real world, the Touring's extra lump doesn't mess with how it drives. There may be minute differences you notice if you're a pro driver, but chances are (and I hate to say this), you're not—so it doesn't matter. It does make the M3 at least look, scientifically speaking, 1,000 percent cooler. It also makes it a whole hell of a lot more practical. Simply put: The BMW M3 Touring is a more practical, better-looking M3. In fact, it's probably the best M3 of the lot. Just don't spec the stupid seats. More On The BMW M3 Touring BMW M3 CS Touring: This Is It If the M5 Touring Is Successful, We Could Get a New M3 Wagon in the US Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . 2025 BMW M3 Touring Engine Twin-Turbocharged 3.0-Liter Inline-Six Output 503 Horsepower / 479 Pound-Feet Transmission Eight-Speed Automatic Drive Type All-Wheel Drive Speed 0-62 MPH 3.2 Seconds Maximum speed 174 Miles Per Hour Weight 4,078 Pounds Seating Capacity 5 Cargo Volume 17.6 / 53.3 Cubic Feet Base Price £91,775 (UK) On Sale Now Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Motor 1
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
BMW Has a 'Higher Demand' for the M5 Wagon in the US
It appears BMW buyers are answering the call. Last August, the automaker's vice president of product management suggested the company might consider selling the next-generation M3 Touring in the United States if the M5 Touring was a success . The M5 wagon has been on sale for a few months, and magical things are already happening. BMW M boss Frank van Meel revealed to BMW Blog that the automaker currently has "a higher demand in the US for the Touring than for the sedan." He didn't reveal a specific number, but hopefully, M5 wagon sales are high enough to convince BMW to bring the M3 Touring here, too. Fingers crossed. Photo by: BMW USA BMW had already revealed earlier this year that demand for the M5 in both body styles is higher than expected, forcing the automaker to increase production for both variants . The company thought the wagon would account for one-third of total production, but it's closer to a 50-50 split. Maybe more people are finally realizing the utility wagons offer. The 2025 M5 Touring debuted with the same hybrid V-8 powertrain that powers the sedan. It produces 717 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque, and it can hit 60 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds despite weighing 5,530 pounds. There's a lot of speculation surrounding the next-generation BMW M3 . It'll ride on the automaker's Neue Klasse platform, with electric and gasoline powertrains . BMW will unveil it later this year before going on sale in late 2026 or early 2027, which means we have plenty of time to prove to BMW that Americans will buy wagons. Here's More BMW News: This Beautiful BMW Wagon Is Actually Going Into Production 2026 BMW M2 CS Revealed: More Power, Less Weight, and Rear-Drive Only Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Source: BMW Blog Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
BMW Unveils M3 CS Touring, a Sporty Family Car
Read the full story on Modern Car Collector BMW has officially unveiled the highly anticipated M3 CS Touring, a sportier, more powerful version of its popular M3 Touring estate. Ahead of the Bathurst 12 Hours race, the Bavarian automaker revealed the new model, which is set to be available in select markets, including Europe, Australia, Japan, and South Korea. With a starting price of approximately $150,000, the M3 CS Touring is expected to be a hit among driving enthusiasts, though unfortunately, it will not be sold in the U.S. The M3 CS Touring offers a number of enhancements over the standard M3 Touring, giving it an aggressive edge that appeals to both performance and design aficionados. The estate car now features a carbon fiber hood, front splitter, air intakes, side mirrors, and a carbon diffuser, reducing the vehicle's weight by 15 kilograms. Additionally, the car sports a distinctive grille and yellow LED daytime running lights (DRLs), adding a unique touch to its already striking appearance. Inside, the M3 CS Touring boasts M Carbon bucket seats, which are electronically adjustable and include a heating function, as well as a dual-screen setup and a flat-bottom steering wheel wrapped in Alcantara for a more immersive driving experience. Under the hood, the M3 CS Touring is powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engine, producing 543 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. Paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, the engine sends power to all four wheels, allowing the car to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.5 seconds. The M3 CS Touring can reach a top speed of 186 mph, ensuring it delivers both thrilling speed and handling. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
New BMW M3 CS Touring Gets 550 Horsepower And Lots Of Carbon Fiber
Wagon fans and enthusiasts rejoice! Following in the footsteps of the M2 CS pocket rocket, the hardcore M3 CS and the excellent M4 CS, BMW is adding another track-focused CS model to its portfolio. Witness the M3 CS Touring, a lighter and more powerful version of the brand'sM3 Touring wagon. BMW followed the same recipe it's done in the past with previous CS models like the M3 CS by adding more power and and removing weight. The M3's excellent twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-6 gets new engine management software and a higher boost pressure charge, increasing output to 550 horsepower, up 20 hp versus the M3 Competition Touring. BMW says that's enough power to get the M3 CS Touring to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds, a tenth quicker than the Competition, andmy experience with M3s, BMW is probably being conservative. The wagon's stability control system, drive modes, adaptive suspension and dampers all get CS-specific tuning. Lightweight forged alloy wheels have a 275/35 ZR19 front and 285/30 ZR20 rear staggered setup, and M Carbon Ceramic brakes are optional. The biggest upgrades to the M3 CS Touring are its extensive use of carbon fiber for weight savings. The hood, front splitter, air intakes, mirror caps and rear diffuser are all made out of carbon fiber. Inside, the seats, trim, shift paddles and center console are all made out of carbon as well. BMW says all this carbon-fiber use shaves 33 pounds off the M3 CS Touring's weight when compared to a standard M3 Touring Competition. There's no word on price, but it doesn't matter anyway because like the normal M3 Touring, the M3 CS Touring isn't for us here in North America. That could change, though, as BMW has mentioned if it gets enough buyers to go for the M5 Touring in our market it could bring over the M3 Touring, likely the next-gen model. Until then we'll just have to watch from afar as the rest of the world gets to have all the fun. BMW says sales of the limited-edition M3 CS Touring will start in March 2025. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
2025 BMW M3 CS Touring Is One Wild Wagon—but Not for the US
BMW is expanding its legendary CS package to the wagon version of the M3, which is not sold in the United States. The M3 CS Touring is scheduled to reach customers in March 2025. This high-output wagon uses a 3.0-liter turbocharged I6 to send 543 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed automatic before hitting the xDrive AWD system. If you've always thought your BMW M3 CS was cool, but you wanted to use it to haul more stuff, you're in luck: BMW has added those two important letters to its M3 Touring models for the first time. That means you can buy a BMW M3 CS wagon in a few select markets. This model takes the already potent M3 Touring and gives it the Competition Sport treatment. Under the hood is the same basic powertrain from the M3 CS: a 3.0-liter turbocharged I6 that sends 543 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels through the standard xDrive AWD system. The M3 Touring also gets the carbon-fiber goodies of the M3 CS sedan. That means the hood, front splitter, mirror caps, and rear diffuser are made from carbon fiber-reinforced plastics. Carbon fiber also enters the cabin with a set of M Carbon bucket seats, CFRP paddle shifters, and some interior trim strips. This weight savings isn't huge over the M3 Competition Touring, but it does shave 15 kg (33 pounds) off the curb weight. You can add some weight back with the optional front strut brace. The big difference between the M3 CS and this new Touring variant is, well, the wagon shell. BMW says the M3 Touring CS offers 500 liters of cargo space (17.7 cubic feet) in imperial measure. That expands to 1,510 liters (53.3 cubic feet) with the second-row seats down. That's more than enough extra storage to help ease your daily commute while you're hustling to your local track day. Underneath the M3 CS Touring is a set of adaptive M Suspension dampers, which BMW says is model specific. Those dampers manage a pair of 19-inch wheels in the front and 20-inch rims in the back. Sitting behind those wheels is a set of red or black finished calipers that use M Compound brakes. You can upgrade to a set of M Carbon brakes if you want the extra performance and can handle the cost. Speaking of price, the BMW M3 CS Touring will set you back €152,900 in Germany. That translates to $159,315 if you can find one at MSRP. That might also include hopping on an airplane and finding a place to store your new M3 CS Touring because it is not currently slated for the US market. However, with the success Audi has had bringing over a limited number of its RS6 Avant models, it might be a smart play from BMW. Do you think the US will get an M3 Touring? What about an M3 CS Touring? Tell us your thoughts below.
