► Life with an M3 Touring ends
► Is there a better fast estate?
► Read month 6
Not since Audi’s RS2 has a fast estate been more hyped than the M3 Touring. After seven months of living with one, that hype seems justified. The Touring does so much so well.
I’ve loved driving this big-booted M3, which switches from planted and flexible motorway cruiser to super-responsive B-road weapon at the press of a button.
Switchable all-wheel drive is key to that. It’s standard on the Touring, but not the saloon. I mostly left it in Sport for its blend of extra rear bias with massive traction and next-to-no steering corruption. Even with power flowing entirely to the rear it’s surprisingly composed – plus adjustable traction control lets you ease into its flamboyance.
Any dynamic compromises versus the saloon are so inconsequential and the practicality gain so significant for £1500 that I’d probably choose a Touring over a saloon.
It’s quick, if not devastatingly so, in a straight line. The real strength is its mind-bending point-to-point pace.
Dynamically, small black marks are limited to a stiff-jointed (if far from intolerable) low-speed ride and steering that feels too isolated. And you’ve doubtless guessed our car’s Silverstone white leather wasn’t ever going to be the best fit for a more rural life.
Our car got both the M Pro and Ultimate packs, which bumped the £86.5k price by £20k, about half of it accounted for by carbon-ceramic brakes and carbonfibre seats.
The brakes have the mighty and enduring performance you’d hope for, bearing in mind the Touring is 85kg heavier than an xDrive saloon at 1865kg. However, there was an intermittent but pronounced droning in my first weeks, although that eventually disappeared entirely, and the pedal was soft by the end of our loan.
I like the look, comfort and support of the seats, but they’re awkward to jump in and out of, unlike the excellent stock seats… I’d save the money and stick with them.
It has some keen rivals, especially the Alpina B3 Touring, but I’d still pick the BMW. The new cost has risen to £87,945 during our tenure, but you can now pick up a very low-miles 2023 M3 Touring for a little over £70k (yep, speculators got burned). Still a lot of cash, but then this is a lot of car.
Read month 6
Read month 5
Read month 4
Read month 3
Read month 2
Read month 1
Logbook: BMW M3 Touring
Price £86,570 (£107,080 as tested)
Performance 2993cc twin-turbocharged straight-six, 503bhp, 3.6sec 0-62mph, 180mph
Efficiency 27.2-28.0mpg (official), 23.6mpg (tested), 229-235g/km C02
Energy cost 28.2p per mile
Miles this month 788
Total miles 13664
Count the cost
Cost new £107,080
Part-exchange £65,705
Cost per mile 26.6p
Cost per mile including depreciation £3.30