Article Summary
- BMW M boss Frank van Meel sees growing demand for performance wagons Down Under.
- After decades of favoring SUVs and sedans, Australians are warming up to Touring models.
- More than a third of the M3s and M5s sold in Australia last year were wagons.
BMW’s “Power of Choice” slogan might refer to powertrain diversity, but it can just as easily apply to body styles. Munich sells everything from a compact hatchback to a full-size SUV, without neglecting its core sedan and SUV models. The 8 Series Convertible and Z4 are dying, but the 4 Series Convertible will carry the torch in the open-top segment.
While wagons have historically been Euro-centric products, BMW’s M division is seeing growing interest in Tourings elsewhere. It has already gone on record saying it’s surprised by the M5 Touring’s popularity in the United States. That has made us wonder whether skipping the M3 Touring was a missed opportunity.
Australia is privileged to get both the G81 and the G99, and these M-flavored estate models are gaining traction locally. M boss Frank van Meel told Australian media he’s “a little bit surprised” by how well the M3 and M5 Tourings are performing Down Under. Speaking with Drive magazine and other outlets, the head of BMW M pointed to a shift in customer preferences and explained why the company hadn’t expected long-roof M cars to perform as they have:
“Because over the past decades, every time we asked, ‘do you want a Touring model?’, the answer was always ‘no, we don’t want that in our market. We are an SUV market, or we are a sedan market.’”
Looking at the numbers, BMW Australia sold 270 M3 Touring units in 2025, while 53 customers opted for its larger sibling. In both cases, the wagon’s share of total demand exceeded a third. The smaller model accounted for 38%, while the electrified wagon reached 35%. Unless we’re reading too much into it, Frank van Meel may have hinted that the lineup could expand beyond these two models:
“The Touring demand is now increasing, and we’re really happy with that. We’ll see where that leads us in the future as well.”
If a third M-branded wagon is on the way, there’s really only one plausible candidate as the base model: the i3 Touring (“NA1”). BMW has already teased the standard electric wagon ahead of a possible 2027 market launch. We’ve been reporting on the sporty version’s “ZA1” codename for nearly three years, but we’re still waiting for official confirmation. If approved, it could arrive in late 2028, roughly a year after the electric M3 Sedan (“ZA0”).
In the meantime, BMW is preparing a mid-cycle facelift for the M5 Touring, scheduled for release in 2027. Sadly, the M3 Touring is reportedly less than a year away from retirement, with production expected to end next February. On a more positive note, BMW M has confirmed a new M3 Sedan (“G84”) with an inline-six engine. However, it has yet to commit to the more practical body style. In fact, it’s still unclear whether there will even be a 3 Series Touring (“G51”) with combustion engines.
Hopefully, the surge in demand for wagons will convince decision-makers to expand the Touring lineup. Ideally, a broader availability wouldn’t hurt either. On that note, BMW is already open to bringing the i3 Touring to the United States. We believe a 5 Series Touring slotting below the M5 would be a wise decision as well.
Source: Drive
