If you’re unhappy with the giant grilles of the new BMW M3 and M4, will the long-awaited addition of a wagon make up for it?
The 2022 BMW M3 Touring wears the same controversial nose as its siblings but offers a more practical wagon body.
It’s been confirmed for an Australian launch, though exactly when has yet to be specified.
Reports have suggested it’ll launch in Europe in 2022, with most global markets receiving it by early 2023.
Overseas reports have also suggested it’ll be available solely in Competition xDrive guise, with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six producing 375kW of power and 650Nm of torque and mated to an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission.
BMW recently revealed the new M4 Convertible, which is also available exclusively with in all-wheel drive Competition guise and is due here in the fourth quarter of 2021.
The M3 sedan and M4 coupe, in contrast, offer this engine tune with rear-wheel drive, while a less powerful 353kW/550Nm base model is available with a six-speed manual transmission.
The addition of all-wheel drive to the M3 and M4 Competition has cut their 0-100km/h times.
The M3 Competition sedan and M4 Competition coupe go from 0-100km/h in 3.5 seconds with all-wheel drive, against a time of 3.9 seconds for rear-wheel drive models.
Expect a wagon to be a few tenths of a second slower.
The rear-wheel drive-biased M xDrive system is mated with BMW’s Active M Differential in the M3 and M4, which ensures fully variable distribution of torque between the rear wheels.
You can also switch off the DSC entirely and engage 2WD-only mode.
When it’s revealed, the new long-roofed M car will be the first mass-produced M3 Touring in the model’s long and storied history, the company only ever building a prototype E46 M3 wagon in 2000.
BMW’s reluctance to make an M3 wagon has long proved puzzling, particularly as it has launched M-branded versions of much of its SUV range.
That’s left tuning firms like Alpina to pick up the slack with fettled 3 Series wagons.
It’s also left this niche wide open for the likes of the Audi RS4 and Mercedes-AMG C63 wagons.
BMW has been somewhat more willing to dabble in the segment above, offering an M5 wagon for two short stints: from 1992 to 1995 (the E34) and from 2006 to 2010 (the E60).
MORE: BMW M3 news and reviews
