Flat out when in doubt
It’s not the first time that we have seen BMW’s new performance wagon. It’s not the first time that we’ve seen this exact Touring test car. It’s true, the 2288 is back for more testing and the long roof has advanced to the boss stage. It’s mission is to attack the Nurburgring using every nugget of power.
We’d rate this testing session as a success on that front. It’s not often that we see an M3 wagon. These photos were taken by the photographer who was in the right spot at the right moment. He captured the well-used test car as it passed the camera while the car was boiling. As it navigates a right-hander fast, the wagon leans slightly to one side. This is a good sign that the vehicle can carry five people and their luggage.
These images aren’t new, at least not from a design perspective. 2288 seems to be wearing the exact same camo wrap that we first noticed it in August 2020. Even though the wheels look identical, we are unsure if the tires are the exact same after looking at this set of photos. It is very odd to see the same test vehicle out in public. BMW may be using the same number plate for multiple prototypes or the test fleet of the first official BMW M3 stationwagon is small.
The wrap doesn’t hide much. The M3 Touring will be a M3 with some extra junk in the trunk. The estate’s big grille provides airflow to the familiar 3.0-liter inline-6 BMW engine. It will likely be the M3 Competition’s 503-horsepower (375 kilowatt) version. This engine channels power to all four wheels, so it can compete with the Audi RS4 avant. This means that an eight-speed M Sport transmission will be used to swap cogs. However, we think M3 Touring customers will prefer this setup.
It will be revealed when? According to our sources, it will be 2022. With BMW r recently releasing a teaser photo showing the M3 Touring (using exactly the 2288 car), we can expect to see it sooner than expected.