BMW will unveil the M3 Touring (wagon) – the first-ever estate version of the M3 – this month at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the United Kingdom. The announcement comes nearly two years after BMW revealed it had greenlit a Mercedes-AMG C63 estate rival that would be based on the G80-generation BMW M3, which launched in 2020.

• BMW M3 Touring (wagon) to be unveiled at Goodwood
• First-ever BMW M3 touring
• Based on the G80 M3

2022 BMW M3 Touring: design

This is the second high-profile Goodwood unveiling in as many years for the German firm, following the debut of the new BMW 2 Series at last year's event. The BMW M3 Touring (wagon) shares many styling features with the M3 sedan, but the 3 Series Touring-style body is a notable difference. The sharp rear bumper is carried over from the M3 sedan, along with the four exhaust pipes that bookend a large diffuser. A 3D-printed lip spoiler can be seen above the rear windscreen, with roof rails extending towards the front.

Like the rear, the front end is carried over largely wholesale from the regular M3, featuring a double kidney grille, bonnet bulges and large intakes towards the edges.

The car is one of a number of imminent M models in the works as the performance sub-brand celebrates its 50th anniversary, with a new M2 Competition coupé, the lightweight M4 CSL coupé and the 740hp XM SUV also on the way.

The M3 Touring bears a strong resemblance to the 3 Series Touring, although it can be differentiated by flared arches, large air intakes and a sports exhaust system. It will give BMW a direct rival to the long-established Audi RS4 Avant for the first time.

2022 BMW M3 Touring: expected powertrains

BMW has yet to reveal technical details of the M3 estate, but has confirmed it will use its turbocharged six-cylinder petrol M engine. The M3 Touring is expected to share its mechanicals and powertrain with the M3 sedan and M4, in which the 3.0-litre, twin-turbocharged, in-line S58 engine delivers 473hp in standard form.

According to BMW, the estate will offer the full space and capacity of the regular 3 Series Touring. The brand previously said that the car will fulfil “the hopes of all those who wish to take the M-specific interplay of racing-orientated performance and everyday suitability to the extreme”.

Although BMW has never previously offered an M3 Touring in the 34-year history of the M3, it did produce a feasibility study prototype based on the third-generation model in 2000. The firm has also twice offered a Touring version of the larger BMW M5, on the models made from 1992-1995 and from 2006-2010. The new M3 Touring's debut forms part of the 50th anniversary celebrations for BMW's M performance division, which takes centre stage at this year's Festival of Speed.

In India, BMW recently introduced the i4 electric four door coupe, read more on that here.