PRESS RELEASE
BMW New Zealand will introduce the first-ever BMW M3 Touring, which will make its global debut at this week’s edition of the legendary Goodwood Festival of Speed, to local enthusiasts in the first quarter of next year.
The highly anticipated all-new model, which was first confirmed for introduction in 2020, brings together motorsport pedigree, a distinctive character and broad spread of practical qualities. It is the fourth body variant in the BMW M3 and M4 line-up and will be offered exclusively in Competition specification with the intelligent M xDrive all-wheel-drive system.
The powertrain technology of the BMW M3 Touring is focused wholly on delivering towering performance. It combines the 375kW version of the six-cylinder in-line engine featuring M TwinPower Turbo technology, the renowned eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic, and M xDrive.
The interior of the first BMW M3 Touring gives it a distinctive character profile, providing fresh scope for experiencing M-style performance in everyday use. Complementing this is integration of the new BMW iDrive including BMW Curved Display, bringing a new level of control, operation and connectivity to the cabin.
The BMW M3 Touring launches as celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of BMW M continue apace. This year has already seen debut of both the M4 CSL and fully electric BMW iX M60, while later this year the all-new BMW M2 will break cover. The milestone year will be crowned by the start of production of the BMW XM, the most powerful BMW M car ever to go into series production and the brand’s first high
performance model to employ a plug-in hybrid drive system.
New Zealand continues to be among the world’s leading markets for BMW M, with one in four BMWs registered here wearing an M badge. The BMW M3 already has a strong enthusiast following in New Zealand. In the past year, there has already been 58 registrations of the latest generation BMW M3
Sedan, putting the model at the top of the sales charts for BMW M cars in New Zealand.
Standalone vehicle concept with extravagant design – The first BMW M3 Touring goes to extensive lengths to deliver on the traditional M promise of dynamic flair, agility and precision combined with unrestricted everyday practicality and kilometre-covering ability.
A muscular exterior design package shines a vivid spotlight on its unique vehicle concept, ensuring clear differentiation within the line-up and a dynamic aura unmatched by any rival.
Cleanly designed surfaces and athletic forms signal the standout performance potential of the BMW M3 Touring, as do the M-specific design cues that focus on the functional requirements of cooling air routing and aerodynamic balance.
Chief among these are the vertically arranged, frameless BMW kidney grille, large side air intakes, powerfully sculpted wheel arches and prominently extended side skirts. These skirts, together with the attachment parts for the front and rear aprons, form a Black high-gloss band around the entirety of the car to provide additional presence. Other distinctive features are the M gills in the front side panels and the exhaust tailpipes integrated into the rear apron.
Regardless of the exterior colour, the roof of the M3 Touring is finished as standard in Black high-gloss. The standard roof rails and the model-specific Gurney air-directing flap on the roof spoiler are additionally painted in the same hue. Customers can also opt to have the roof finished in the selected body colour.
Thundering performance from high-revving six-cylinder in-line engine – The specific version of the 3.0-litre six-cylinder in-line engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology developed for the Competition models in the M3/M4 line-up produces maximum output of 375kW and peak torque of 650Nm.
The powerplant forms the basis for the unit in the new BMW M4 GT3 endurance race car – further underlining its potency – and is distinguished by its appetite for revs for which M engines are renowned while producing linear power delivery sustained into high load ranges.
Its cooling and oil supply systems are also designed to handle high longitudinal and lateral dynamic forces on the track. The M-specific exhaust system with electrically controlled flaps additionally generates an emotionally arresting soundtrack that brings an additional layer to the performance experience.
The engine joins forces with an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission, which integrates Drivelogic to offer three gearshift programs to suit different preferences and driving styles. Engine power is channelled to the road via the M xDrive all-wheel-drive system, which combines with the Active M Differential at the rear axle. The needs-based distribution of power across all four wheels optimises the traction of the BMW M3 Touring, as well as its agility and directional stability.
Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes just 3.6 seconds and the sprint from 0 to 200 km/h requires only 12.9 seconds. Opting for the M Driver’s Package increases the electronically limited top speed from 250km/h to 280km/h.
As well as the basic 4WD setting, the driver can also select 4WD Sport mode via the Setup menu. This provides an even more intense experience of the M xDrive system’s rear-biased tuning, while switching off DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) brings pure rear-wheel-drive into play.
Ideal balance of performance and long-distance comfort – Chassis technology tuned both to the performance profile of the powertrain and to the specific vehicle concept of the BMW M3 Touring creates an ideal balance of sports performance and smooth ride comfort in everyday use and over longer-
distance journeys.
Detailed fine-tuning was carried out as part of intensive testing on race circuits, country roads and urban routes during development. The high torsional stiffness of the body structure and chassis mountings imbues the car with even greater agility, dynamics and precision, and is further enhanced by model-specific bracing elements in the underfloor section and load compartment.
Both the double-joint spring strut front axle and the five-link rear axle have M-specific kinematics and combine lightweight design with particularly high rigidity. Adaptive M suspension with electronically controlled shock absorbers and M Servotronic steering with a variable ratio come as standard on the BMW M3 Touring to further hone its overall dynamic competence.
The integrated braking system offers two settings for pedal feel, and optional M Carbon ceramic brakes can be ordered as an alternative to the already highly powerful M Compound braking system. Forged M light-alloy wheels in 19-inch for the front and 20-inch for the rear are fitted as standard and can be specified with track tyres as an option.
Advanced electronic driving systems abound in the new BMW M3 Touring. Its DSC system includes wheel slip limitation integrated into the engine control unit, while M Dynamic Mode and M Traction Control are fitted as standard. In the M xDrive system’s 2WD mode, the driver can adjust the intervention thresholds for wheel slip limitation through 10 stages to carefully approach the physical limits under hard cornering on the track.
Race-style feeling in the cockpit, highly versatile rear compartment – The BMW Curved Display is fitted as standard in the BMW M3 Touring from launch to provide a fresh interpretation of the cockpit design focused on providing an intense performance experience.
The fully digital screen grouping is made up of a 12.3-inch information display and a Control Display with a screen diagonal of 14.9 inches. It is positioned behind a single glass surface and angled towards the driver. The information display behind the steering wheel presents all relevant driving information with new M-specific style graphics. M-specific widgets with information on the car setup and tyre condition can be shown in detail on the Control Display’s home screen. A BMW Head-Up Display with M-specific content will also be available.
Electrically adjustable M Sport seats with memory function and seat heating plus Merino leather trim come as standard in the BMW M3 Touring to deliver optimum support and comfort. The optional M Carbon bucket seats for the driver and front passenger offer a unique symbiosis of motorsport feeling, lightweight design, sumptuous workmanship and long-distance comfort.
The use of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) in the structural elements of the seat cushion and backrest, together with cut-outs in the side bolsters and below the head restraints, saves 9.6 kilograms over the standard M Sport seats.
The rear compartment of the BMW M3 Touring has three full-size seats and the rear-seat backrest can be split in a 40:20:40 arrangement. Folding down individual seat sections or all of them at the same time allows the car’s load capacity to be expanded from 500 litres to a maximum 1510 litres, as required.
Automatic tailgate operation and the separately opening rear window are both standard, while a storage compartment underneath the boot floor provides space for the luggage compartment cover and boot partition net. Anti-slip rails that rise automatically from the boot floor to prevent items of luggage from sliding around in dynamic driving situations will also be available.
Array of convenience, luxury and driver aid systems on offer – Comfort-enhancing features fitted as standard in the BMW M3 Touring include three-zone automatic climate control, BMW Live Cockpit Plus, ambient lighting, hi-fi speaker system, and the interior and exterior mirror packages.
Customers can also benefit from a broad selection of automated driving and parking systems. Among these are Driving Assistant Professional with Steering and Lane Control Assistant, Active Cruise Control with Stop&Go function, traffic light detection and Active Navigation, plus the Parking Assistant with Reversing Assistant. Other elements include Front Collision Warning, Speed Limit Display with no-
overtaking indicator, Lane Departure Warning and Park Distance Control.
The M-specific control/operation system includes the Setup button, which provides direct access to settings and options for the engine, chassis, steering, braking system and M xDrive. Two overall vehicle setups can be stored and called up using the M buttons on the steering wheel. As well as M Traction Control, M Drive Professional also offers the M Drift Analyser and the M Laptimer.
The M Mode button on the centre console can be used to adjust the responses of the driver assistance systems and the content shown in the information display and Head-Up Display. BMW M3 Touring drivers can also choose from the ROAD, SPORT and TRACK settings.
The latest-generation BMW iDrive vehicle experience system in the BMW M3 Touring represents the embodiment of progressive digitalisation. It is based on BMW Operating System 8 and, together with the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant and BMW Curved Display, has been designed squarely to deliver intuitive interaction between the driver and car using natural speech and touch control.
The new BMW iDrive enables personalisation via the BMW ID and My BMW App, while smartphone integration for using CarPlay and Android Auto is also part of the standard specification set.
The new BMW M3 Touring will arrive in New Zealand early next year, with full pricing
and specification detail to be announced in the lead up to launch.
