2023 BMW M3 Touring: Australian walkaround review

A BMW M3 Touring in Australia?

Yep, that’s right. Just a few months after its official unveiling at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the first-ever (production) wagon version of the BMW M3 has arrived Down Under.

It’s a right-hooker, too, but you can park those dreams of taking it for a spin – this is one of the first examples to roll off the production line and it’s not registered. Instead it’ll be part of a BMW roadshow over the coming months.

So no driving time, yet, but before this car embarks on its promo duties, we did get a chance to grab a closer look. And BMW shared a few details about the Aussie spec…

17

First impressions? It’s angry, isn’t it? This is the first ever M3 wagon and all I can think as I drink in the bulging rear guards and aggressive rear diffuser is, what took them so long?

The proportions, the longer glasshouse, the way the rear 20-inch alloys sit in the guards when viewed from the rear three quarter…. It just looks ’right’.

And in this 'murdered out' spec of frozen black with a black interior, it’s pretty sinister too. The best looking variant in the current M3/M4 range? I reckon this is it. (Nah, it's the Twilight Purple – Mike.)

A couple of things to point out

The M3 Touring officially goes on sale early next year and is only available in top-spec Competition guise. It’s also be AWD only and there’s one choice for the transmission: an eight-speed automatic.

BMW is remaining tight-lipped on pricing for now, but did confirm our guess of around $180K was in the right ballpark. Aussie Tourings are also about 85kg heavier than an equivalent M3 sedan, but they should be just as capable to drive thanks to boosted strengthening and firmer springs/dampers at the rear.

17

Interior options will include carbon bucket seats that save 12kg and include cut-out sections behind your kidneys.

Also likely to be optional? The carbon exterior details (mirrors, skirts, diffuser) are expected to form pack of a ‘carbon pack’. A final exterior detail worth noting: If you order your Touring this year it will wear the special white ‘M at 50’ badges.

Watch the video for a closer look at the exterior and cabin, but here’s something to ponder...

Is this the most compelling fast family car of 2022?

17

It also, and hear me out on this one, might just be the ultimate M3. Passionate Bimmer heads are likely already spluttering “But what about the E46!?”.

My response? Good luck fitting the kids, the dog and a pair of golf bags in an E46, which is a coupe only.

We’ll know more about pricing and spec closer to the M3 Touring’s official on sale date, but even without driving it, it’s hard to argue that this is probably the variant to buy.

Disagree? Vent away in the comments!