East of the Atlantic, wagons—often referred to as estates, and vice versa—are a really big deal.
That’s why BMW has been producing them over the past few decades with great overall success; in many European countries, they are as common as trucks and SUVs are on North American soil.
Most of us are familiar with the various 3-series (and 5-series wagons) that have come out over the years. So, it is a bit peculiar as to why it has taken this long to experience the utilitarian version of BMW’s quintessential performance model, especially when considering that rivals have been using this recipe for a while now.
Known as the BMW M3 Touring, the new body-style certainly adds more European flair to the line-up. Unfortunately, the German automaker is taking that Eurocentricity to the next level with the Touring model, as there are currently no plans to release it in the Americas.
From a business standpoint, this makes more sense than it doesn’t. As large as the US market is, it’s clear that wagons don’t share the same appeal as they do overseas, with little to suggest that this trend is due for a bucking anytime soon.
That being said, enthusiasts in North America will have to see how the BMW M3 Touring fares against its most obvious rival—the Audi RS 6 Avant—from afar. A bit of a shame really, as this could otherwise have been truly perfect timing for the M3 wagon’s inauguration.
Anyway, Top Gear (via Ollie Marriage) have provided a comprehensive First Look at the BMW M3 Touring. Here’s the video, below:
