In our relentless efforts to highlight the M3 Touring, today we’re bringing forward a high-specification build of BMW’s long-awaited super wagon. This G81 has arrived at Swiss dealer Alpina Group dressed to impress in an Individual paint, specifically the Frozen Pure Grey Metallic. It also happens to have the anniversary emblems marking 50 years of M along with the optional laser headlights.
Eagle-eyed viewers will notice the gold calipers associated with the carbon ceramic brakes while the two-tone wheels represent the 826 M set. As a refresher, there is no carbon fiber roof option for the M3 Touring since the lightweight panel is offered exclusively on the sedan. With the 3 Series LCI launched a few months ago, BMW introduced this option for the M340i, but once again, it can only be had on the sedan.
This new G81 is special for one more reason considering it has been configured with body-hugging seats that cost extra. Leave it to BMW to sell a wagon with carbon fiber bucket seats, which some will find overkill for a Touring model, but those people can just stick to the standard M Sport seats. Being an estate, the long-roof M3 is a truly practical car, with three seats in the back where the bench has a 40:20:40 split and you can fold down the seats individually.
Because it’s virtually impossible to please everyone, the M3 Touring has been criticized for adopting the same overly tall kidney grille as the sedan. In addition, some folks have a problem with the Operating System 8’s screens sticking out from the dashboard. There’s also the matter of pricing since ticking only a couple of boxes on the options list drives up the price to six figures, which is quite the bump compared to an M340i Touring that still has an inline-six behind a conventional front grille.
BMW M’s belated answer to the AMG C63 Estate and Audi RS4 Avant entered production last month at the Munich plant and will soon be in the hands of early adopters.
Source: Carstar / YouTube
