BMW fans have been begging for an M3 Touring estate for decades - now it's here, is it worth the wait?

• e-mail

Almost for as long as there has been a BMW M3 there's been people demanding the German outfit builds an estate version. 

The original 3 Series 'M' saloon dates all the way back to 1986. Ask a Beemer enthusiast what they've wanted for Christmas in the prevailing three decades and they'll probably say an 'Touring' variant of the iconic performance car.

Well, now it's finally here.

But has it been worth the wait? We spent a week with arguably the most anticipated BMW of all time to find out.

Has it been worth the wait? The BMW M3 Touring is a car that's been in the making for over 30 year. Now that it's eventually available, does it live up to its billing? We spent a week with one to find out...

BMW M3 Touring - what exactly is it?

Essentially, in five words: a petrolhead's dream family car.

For years, the BMW M3 has been the market's leading executive fast saloon. But while it has always been able to transport a brood of four in comfort with ample luggage space, it has lacked the ultra-practical dimensions of a load-lugging estate... until now.

Think of the M3 Touring - which went on sale at the beginning of 2023 - as one of the fastest transporters of flat-pack wardrobes; the winner of the 'take a knackered fridge freeze to the recycling centre Grand Prix'; a motor that boasts bundles of horsepower as well as boot space for a couple of Labradors.

At its business end is the three-litre, twin-turbo, inline six-cylinder petrol powerplant lifted from under the bonnet of the M3 Saloon and M4 Coupe.

The symphonic six generates a staggering 503bhp, which is delivered to all four wheels via an eight-speed gearbox.

In terms of performance, the statistics are what you'd expect to see on the spec sheet of a lightweight sports car - not a barge-like family motor with a retractable parcel shelf.

A sprint from standstill to 62mph is over and done with in 3.6 seconds. A noisy 3.6 seconds it is too.

As standard, BMW offers a [sensible] electronically limited top speed to 155mph - but pay the Bavarian brand an additional £2,305 and they'll delivery you one with an 'M Driver' pack that deletes this restriction and hand you the keys to a 180mph torpedo with five seats.

The original 3 Series 'M' saloon dates all the way back to 1986 - a year before the first big-booted Touring launched. Beemer enthusiasts have been begging for a combo of the two since

In terms of performance, the statistics are what you'd expect to see from a lightweight sports car - not a barge-like family motor with a retractable parcel shelf. A sprint from a standstill to 62mph is over and done with in 3.6 seconds

Enthusiasts have wanted to sit here for decades: With BMW offering the M3 saloon and a standard 3 Series Touring hand-in-hand for more than 30 years, it's been long considered an overlooked opportunity by the German car giant. In this time it's become the biggest 'why haven't they make one yet?' cars that I can remember

What's all the fuss about BMW making an M3 Touring? 

For as long as I can remember, there's been a cult petrolhead obsession  with potent estate cars.

It's because of their blend of organ-adjusting performance and spacious flexibility. This means one single package that's both brilliant to drive and equally capable to deal with any demand that family life throws at you.

With BMW offering the M3 saloon and a standard 3 Series Touring alongside one another in showrooms for more than 30 years, the idea of combining the two  has long been considered an overlooked opportunity by the German car giant. It's the biggest 'why haven't they make one yet?' car that I can think of.

However, you can't blame BMW for its hesitation. 

The German brand is well aware that turning one of its Touring models into a full-blooded 'M' car doesn't always pan out. 

They've tried it twice with the M5, resulting in pretty appalling sales figures when new - though both examples have surged in value of late due to a fresh appreciation among collectors.

And BMW's timing to bring an M3 Touring to market now seems strange to say the least. 

Factor in the impeding ban on sales of petrol and diesel cars - with BMW itself estimating that half of its global sales will be electric by 2030 - and the gradual demise in appetite for estate models while SUVs are the flavour of the month/year/decade, it does beg the question as to why Beemer bosses think now is the time to release an M3 Touring...

Think of the M3 Touring as one of the fastest transporters of flat-pack wardrobes

At its business end is the three-litre, twin-turbo, inline six-cylinder petrol powerplant lifted from under the bonnet of the M3 Saloon and M4 Coupe

As standard, BMW offers a sensible electronically limited top speed to 155mph - but pay the Bavarian brand an additional £2,305 and they'll delivery you one with an 'M Driver' pack that deletes this restriction and hand you the keys to a 180mph torpedo with five seats

What's it like to drive? And does it feel like a proper M car? 

Despite BMW's decision to switch to six-pot powerplants for the performance saloon almost a decade ago, the loss of two cylinders doesn't make the estate any less brutal under acceleration than M3 models that have superseded it.

It pulls hard at low revs, but this incredibly ruthless engine gathers speed even faster towards the top end, encouraging you to work it hard when you have the chance to hustle it along.

The gear shifts are relatively sharp, though the conventional eight-speed automatic gearbox lacks the flexibility of a more sophisticated dual-clutch setup.

Will it fit in my garage? BMW M3 Touring

Price: from £87,825

Length: 4,794mm

Width: 1,903mm

Height: 1,436mm

Wheelbase: 2,857mm.

Engine: 3.0-litre straight-six inline M TwinPower Turbo petrol

Power: 503bhp

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

0-62mph: 3.6 seconds

0-124mph: 12.9 seconds

Top speed: 155mph (derestricted to 180mph with £2,305 M Driver Package)

Fuel economy: 27.2mpg to 28mpg

CO2 emissions: 229g/km to 235g/km

Boot capacity: 500 litres (expanding tor 1,510 litres with three rear seats folded down)

For instance, push fractionally too heavily on the throttle when pottering through a town centre and the M3 Touring will assume you're wanting to thrash it within an inch of its life, holding the revs high in anticipation - which can be quite embarrassing if there's a kerbside audience.

And the sound that permeates from under the bonnet and out the four enormous exhaust outlets is head-turningly raucous - though still no match for the drama of a V8, say the one in the Audi RS6 Avant, for example.

But you can't level the same criticism at the M3 Touring for the way it handles the twisty stuff.

Despite the extra bulk, longer body and higher bootlid, it feels wonderfully balanced and planted without any body roll, even in the softest of the adaptable driving modes.

The ride is, as you'd imagine from a vehicle with enormous 19-inch wheels at the front and even larger 20-inch rims at the back, on the firm side. It does an appeasing job of absorbing most uneven road surfaces, though not if you fail to take evasive pothole action.

While 'Comfort' is the setting I used most commonly - especially with the wife and our five-month-old baby onboard - every lone excursion was completed with the dial wound to 'Sport'.

It makes this bounding estate feel even more hunkered, adds weight to the steering and gives the impression that you can place the front end wherever you want it as you enter a corner at speed.

Exit the bend and any sensation of accomplishment is instantly quashed by the feeling that you could have taken the turn at a far greater pace without flummoxing the elongated M car whatsoever. 

Can you get it out of shape? This isn't something I try - or would recommend - on public roads, despite the potentially goading addition of an 'M Drift Analyser' that can rate the quality of your power-sliding skills.

What I can say is the M3 Touring never manages to accomplish that magical feat of feeling like it shrinks around you when travelling at pace. I was always aware that I was shifting the bulk of a sizable motor, which was a tad disappointing.

So, is it worthy of the 'M' badge, then? Absolutely yes, and with the lung-emptying stopping power to match its incredible capacity to gather speed.

The M3 Touring's 503bhp in-line six cylinder pulls hard at low revs, but this incredibly ruthless powerplant gathers speed even faster towards the top end, encouraging you to work it hard when you have the chance to hustle it around

The sound that permeates from under the bonnet and out the four enormous exhaust outlets is head-turningly raucous - though still no match for the drama of a V8, say the one in the Audi RS6 Avant, for example

Is it practical? 

In a word, yes. In fact, it's just as practical as a conventional 3 Series Touring.

The same boot capacity of 500 litres is spread across an almost entirely square area, which is ideal for loading both large and small objects - including a folded-down pushchair.

The addition of a separate rear window opening to the tailgate is a great feature for when you want to quickly drop items into the back - and one I used more frequently than I thought I would have done before taking delivery.

In terms of interior space, there can't be any complaints here either. The back feels perfectly roomy, even for taller adults, and there's ample elbow and head room up front.

The boot capacity of 500 litres is spread across an almost entirely square area, which is ideal for loading both large and small objects - including a folded-down pushchair

In terms of interior space, there can't be any complaints here either. There's ample elbow and head room up front

Passengers in the rear will be happy too. The back feels perfectly roomy, even for taller adults

What's not as sufficient in the roominess department is the optional carbon-backed bucket seats, which were included in our test car as part of a ludicrously expensive option pack.

They're brilliantly figure-hugging and surprisingly comfortable on long journeys - the only problem is getting in and out of them. 

A carbon fibre lump between your legs - which I now refer to as the coccyx killer - makes it feel like an ultra-secure chair on one of those fairground rides that catapults you metres in the air via a pair of elastic bands. 

Trying to get seated can end in an unplanned colonoscopy, while getting out requires the flexibility of a professional contortionist. I simply couldn't deal with it every day. 

Also worth mentioning is the infotainment system, which is carried over from the M3 saloon.

With the optional carbon-backed sports seats with this lump in the middle, trying to get into the M3 Touring usually ends in an unplanned colonoscopy, while getting out requires the flexibility of a professional contortionist

While you can navigate the main screen in a variety of ways - dabbing the touchscreen, twisting the swivel wheel in the centre console or yelling ‘Hey BMW’ to the voice command system -, some of the menus are over populated and simply too distracting on the move

The huge, curved, hi-def display spans the whole dashboard, combining a 12.3-inch digital drivers display and a 14.9-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

While you can navigate the main screen in a variety of ways - dabbing the touchscreen, twisting the swivel wheel in the centre console or yelling ‘Hey BMW’ to the voice command system -, some of the display menus are over populated with icons and therefore very distracting on the move.

The Cars & Motoring verdict: Has it been worth the wait?

Let's get onto a sore subject - the price. The M3 Touring is incredibly expensive for what it is...

For this entire review, I've been avoiding arguably the biggest and most important stat of all - the price.

That's because the M3 Touring doesn't ring in cheap. Far from it, in fact.

Order a standard one without a single option and it will set you back a whopping £87,825 (at the time of publishing).

To put that into context, it's more than double the price of the cheapest conventional 3 Series Touring (the 320i Sport petrol), which starts from £42,395.

And when you start to spec an M3 estate to how you'd ideally want it, the total price edges closer and closer to six figures with every addition.

For instance, the 'M Pro Pack' with carbon ceramic brakes, gold calipers and special wheels rings in at £8,395.

Those inexplicably difficult to access carbon seats, they're part of a wider pack that costs an extra £7,090.

The 'M Driver pack' - which unlocks the 180mph top speed and drift analyser - is another £2,305.

he astronomical cost aside, the M3 Touring lives up to the bill that we all hoped BMW would build

As you might have guessed, our test car - finished in expensive matte paint - exceeded £100,000. 

And when you consider its biggest rival - the Audi RS 4 Avant - starts at £71,545, you quickly realise BMW is probably taking advantage of your three-decade giddy anticipation for an M3 Touring by making you pay through the nose for one.

The costs don't stop mounting once you've purchased it, either. 

Official fuel economy stats say you'll get a little over 27 miles to the gallon on a relatively tame run. We tried to better this but failed woefully.

And the CO2 emissions are so high that you are rapidly lining the Chancellor's pockets via exorbitant annual Vehicle Excise Duty charges.

Yet, astronomical costs aside, the M3 Touring does live up to it's long-overdue billing. It is all the car we had hoped it would be.

Full of character and wonderfully versatile, petrolhead parents will adore how it drives - and the ease with which it transports their family.