BMW released the images and specifications of the first-ever production M3 Touring (G81) earlier this week and today it tackled the hillclimb at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The weather literally rained on wagon enthusiasts’ parades as it was pouring when the G81 took to the course. Check out the video here:
With such wet pavement, this super touring didn’t break any records, but it did look and sound great doing it–especially from the back. I’m still not sure if I’m on board with the front of this estate, but the long roof certainly makes up for a lot. Especially with the spectacular M Performance exhaust arrangement in the rear diffuser.
Despite the G81 not coming to the U.S., here are some specs that are truly drool worthy. The engine comes from the M3/M4 Competition and produces 510 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. It uses the tried and true eight-speed M Steptronic transmission, which according to BMW “offers three gearshift programs and can be operated using shift paddles on the steering wheel.” This model uses the M all-wheel-drive system and a rear M Differential. All this hardware results in a 3.6-second 0-60 time, which means you can fold down the rear 20-40-20 split seats and make astoundingly fast round trips to IKEA.
There are a number of settings to play with in the technology department. Along with road, sport, and track settings, there’s also a drift analyzer. That’ll come in handy on those Home Depot lumber runs. The all-wheel-drive system has a few modes: standard, sport, and rear-wheel drive when dynamic stability control is turned off.
The G81 in the video above wasn’t the only M3 Touring to debut at Goodwood. BMW also showcased its BMW M3 Touring MotoGP™ Safety Car. It has a bit of a police-car vibe to it and would certainly be intimidating to see in your rear view mirror.
While I’m sad the M3 Touring won’t be hitting the lots of U.S. dealerships, I’m looking forward to seeing some wonderful BMW M3 Touring builds from enthusiasts and tuners around the world. –Mike Bevels
[Photos courtesy of BMW.]
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[…] S54 engine, and manual transmission, I immediately thought of BMW’s first M3 Touring. No, not the G81 that BMW recently unveiled at the Goodwood Festival in June–I’m talking about the E46 M3 Touring Concept that they used to tease the world in 2000. […]