G81 BMW M3 Touring reveals itself in prototype form

BMW got everyone hot and bothered a few weeks ago when it teased the first-ever G81 M3 Touring, which is essentially the wagon sibling to the upcoming G80 M3. Unfortunately, while the sedan, and the G82 M4, are set to debut in September this year, the wagon will take a bit longer as it is currently undergoing a two-year development process.

This also means that the new G83 M4 Convertible, which the German carmaker announced alongside the M3 Touring, will arrive sooner, as it is scheduled to follow the M3 and M4 duo next year.

That’s not to say there’s nothing for BMW to tease us with in the meantime, as the German carmaker took to Instagram to show the wagon heading out for some testing. This is our first proper look at the more practical M3, although every body panel is covered in camouflage because the company doesn’t want to give too much away for now.

In terms of design, the sports wagon looks pretty much like a regular 3 Series Touring in profile, except with different front and rear ends. On the former, we can clearly see the large, vertical kidney grille also found on the M3 and M4, which has proven to be rather controversial. The rest of the M3 Touring’s face features a wide lower intake joined by small slits at the edges of the bumper.

Around back, there’s a more aggressive rear bumper with quad exhausts and possibly a functional diffuser, although both are barely visible in the video. Keen-eyed individuals will also notice the lowered ride height and the slightly flared wheel arches.

BMW has already confirmed the M3 Touring will share the same powertrain with its stablemates, so expect the S58 3.0 litre inline-six engine to be of service. No official power figures as of yet, but the September debutants are said to come in two states of tune – 480 PS (473 hp) and 510 PS (503 hp) – with a choice of rear- and all-wheel drive as well as automatic and manual transmissions.

The post G81 BMW M3 Touring reveals itself in prototype form appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.



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