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G81 BMW M3 Touring Spied at the Nurburgring Flaunting Wide Fenders, Laser Lights

The first time BMW has considered the M3 Touring was during the E46 years, and even though a prototype has been built to evaluate feasibility, the sports wagon didn’t reach series production. Somewhat surprising considering the appeal of crossovers and SUVs these days, the Bavarian brand has changed its mind almost two decades later.
G81 BMW M3 Touring 20 photos
Photo: Stefan Baldauf / SB-Medien
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August 2020 is when the first teaser photo of the M3 Touring was published, and since then, BMW has been testing a lot of prototypes on public roads. Covered from head to toe in camouflage even though the G80 sedan is already out, the test mule we’ll talk about today has been photographed near and at the Nurburgring racetrack.

The blue elements in the headlights indicate laser technology, which uses 30 percent less energy than LEDs while providing half a mile of forward illumination. The wheels are forged alloys shared with the M4 Competition, and the braking system with gold calipers integrates two “pedal feel” settings to suit the driver’s preferences.

Moving over to the rear end, the aerodynamic diffuser is completely obscured while the L-shaped LED taillights extend into the rear fenders. This design trick is meant to accentuate the width of the vehicle, made apparent by the pumped-out fender flares.

As far as the C- and D-pillars are concerned, both of them are obviously shared with the 3 Series Touring because a redesign wouldn’t make sense from a financial standpoint. After all, a sports wagon with 500-plus horsepower is a pretty niche car.

Scheduled to arrive in 2022 likely for the 2023 model year, the G81 will probably mirror the engine and transmission options of the G80. Considering the wheelbase and weight, the Competition Package seems like the most interesting choice thanks to M xDrive with rear-wheel drive on demand and a fast-shifting automatic gearbox.

Shared with compact-sized M cars and utility vehicles, the S58 turbocharged straight-six engine is available in two states of tune at the time of writing. These are 473 and 503 horsepower (480 and 510 PS) along with maximum torque ratings of 406 and 479 pound-feet (550 and 650 Nm).

On an ending note, it's safe to assume that BMW will charge a few thousand euros on top of the sedan's price (€80k and €87k, respectively).
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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