This is the long awaited BMW M3 Competition Touring . Was it worth the wait?
Exterior – Front
So, the design of the M3 Touring. Well it is the same as the M3 and M4. we get this big bugs bunny tooth grill design with and aggressive central vent and some sporty side vents. We also get sporty headlights. The overall design is very aggressive which makes this car look like it means business. We also get a sportier bonnet to help this. Put this next to the RS4 and the C63S E-Performance and this will win every day.
Exterior – Side
Moving down to the side we get some wider wheel arches which is standard M design but we also get sporty side skirts and a bigger air vent behind the front wheel. The overall stance is 14mm lower than the normal 3 Series touring. Having this makes the car look more planted on the road but it also improved the handling. You can also opt for M Performance parts to improve the look of the M3 Touring. Finally to finish the M3 Touring off we get these stylish and wide 19 inch wheels at the front and 20 inch wheels at the back.
Exterior – Rear
Moving round to the back you can really see the wide rear wheel arches. You also get a different and much more sportier rear bumper with a diffuser and real 4 exhausts. You also get the M3 Competition badge and the new BM5 M 50 badge. Finally you also get a upgraded spoiler. Lets have a listen to those exhausts. Right. Engine options.
Car and engine specs and price
So the BMW M3 Competition Touring has a 3 litre straight 6 twin turbo engine. The normal M3 Touring gets 473 bhp but because in the UK you only get the Competition you now get 508 bhp. Very nice. Mpg on the other hand is not. About 25 mpg which is about 324miles on a full tank of petrol if you are lucky. Also a full tank of petrol will roughly cost you about £90 to £100.0-62 times on the other hand is good at 3.6 seconds. Power goes through an 8 speed box and it is sent to all 4 wheels through the MX Drive system. So the part that you have all been waiting for is the price. The BMW M3 Competition Touring starts at £85,165 but this can easily go up if you add options. Lets have a look on the inside as you may need to sit down after that.
Interior – Design
So getting inside the M3 Competition touring you are welcomed with a familiar setup. To start with you get a sporty M Steering wheel and carbon fibre trim everywhere. You also get this nice M gear shifter. What is new for the M3 competition Touring and the saloon and also the M4 is that you now get iDrive 8. this means you get the big curved screen and whilst the graphics are good especially with M style graphics I just think that the screen is just too big and distracting for the car. Also all of your important features like traction control and mode selection is all in menus which means you have to take your eyes of the road to change the mode or to turn traction control off. This isn't just longer it is also dangerous. All I want is just a button that turns traction control off. Thankfully you can customise your modes with the M1 and M2 buttons. What I do like though are these option carbon bucket style seats. They are very supportive but they are also comfy. If you don’t spec these then you still get sporty M seats.
Practicality
So getting into the back of the M3 Touring there is plenty of legroom and headroom. You also get your own climate control unit and an armrest. What I am slightly annoyed about though is that the eats are the same as the ones in the normal 3 series. For me I would have liked sportier rear seats or as an option the carbon bucket seats in the rear just like what the M5 CS has.
Boot Size
The main 2 reasons people will buy the M3 Competition Touring is not just the looks but also the space. Because this is an estate there is a lot of it. 500 litres with the seats up to be exact. With the rear seats folded 40:20:40 you get 1,510 litres. You also get your split design tailgate.
Summary
So what do I think of the BMW M3 Competition Touring then. Well it is an M3. what else do you want to know. It has the looks inside and out but also it has the sound, ride and handling. If you get this then your life is complete. You can also bring your dog along for the ride.
Exterior 5/5
Interior 5/5
Practicality 5/5
Total 15/15
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