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New Video Reminds Us of BMW M3 Touring Not Coming to the U.S., Maybe You Can Change That

BMW M published a new video with the M3 Touring. Yes, they keep feeding us little bits of information. This reminded us that Americans aren’t going to experience this high-performance wagon. There’s an honest way of changing this harsh reality. Here’s how!
2023 BMW M3 Touring 13 photos
Photo: BMW
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It feels like it’s not going to stop. BMW has been showing us a lot of videos with the highly anticipated M3 Touring. At this point, everyone just wants to see the car, hear it, and maybe even test drive it before the financial markets meltdown and we’re all back to counting our pennies.

But don’t lose hope. What we’ve been seeing lately is footage that comes from intensive testing that took place already. The two-year test cycle must have ended by now. The M3 Touring is presented everywhere as a non-facelift (or non-LCI, if you speak BMW lingo) model, all the while the German carmaker is preparing to release the updated version of the 3 Series. By now, it’s safe to assume the M3 Touring we’ll all see soon won’t be the same as the testing mule. We’ll most likely get the facelifted 3 Series look with some aesthetic adjustments and further M Performance parts.

The latest video published by BMW M on this subject is titled “The Ultimate Test,” which fits nicely for what’s been known as the “Ultimate Driving Machine.” You can see it down below, but it essentially shows the vehicle can endure the harshness of the Nürburgring track at an optimum level without having the electronics turned on. When the systems are turned on, the driver can feel more comfortable behind the wheel while pushing the car to its limits.

Seeing this footage and knowing there’s real interest from the American market for performance wagons like the RS 6 Avant, it really boggles the mind why BMW decided to not bring this car into the U.S. Don’t judge them too harshly, though. The carmaker tried and BMW U.S. pushed toward the idea of having the M3 Touring ready for the U.S. market, but they said the homologation costs would be too much.

Still, that’s BMW’s fault. They decided against having their Touring cars sold in America a long time ago. This means the 3 and 5 Series Touring haven’t been put through safety testing and bringing just this one now wouldn’t make much sense from a financial point of view. It would cost a lot and the anticipated orders couldn’t cover the investment and bring a profit. They know enthusiasts are waiting, but their number is not high enough. After all, BMW is still a for-profit company that looks to keep shareholders happy and prepare for the inevitable switch to an all-electric lineup – that’s going to leave a dent in the overall budget.

Furthermore, the 2023 M3 Touring won’t have the same production run as its sedan sibling – the M3. With the rumor that allocations have been exhausted already circulating in the BMW community, it’s safe to assume this vehicle will turn into an instant collectible. Many will want it afterward, so the price is guaranteed to go up.

But you can try and change this. A petition has been started. It involves BMW USA. Fans ask the company to bring the M3 Touring to the U.S. At the time of writing, almost 49,000 people signed! Bear in mind this is a pretty old initiative, so you should hurry up to get your name there if you want BMW to take notice.

At the end of the day, there’s one thing we must remember: if BMW’s already made their mind on the matter, there are little to no chances something like an online petition will make them change the decision of not bringing the M3 Touring in the U.S. It's still worth a try, though!

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About the author: Florin Amariei
Florin Amariei profile photo

Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one.
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