BMW may have gone overboard with SUVs, but it hasn’t neglected those looking for something other than an X model. From hatchbacks and sedans to coupes and convertibles, the product portfolio remains impressively diverse. Even as we live in the crossover age, the good ol’ wagon isn’t facing retirement. A new spy video reminds us that the i3 Touring is inching closer, and we have it on good authority that a combustion-engine 3 Series Touring isn’t far behind either.
Shot outside the factory gates in Munich by a Bimmer Today reader, the video puts the spotlight on a near-production prototype of the first-ever electric 3 Series estate. Although we haven’t seen that many test cars yet, this one already looks ready to enter series production. It appears to have all its body panels in place, along with the final headlights and taillights.
We’re not sure why BMW even bothered camouflaging the front end. After all, it’ll likely carry over from the i3 sedan. To limit development and production costs, wagon conversions are typically identical to their sedan counterparts up to the B-pillars. Usually, only the rear half changes to accommodate the longer roof and tailgate.
Key Feature Missing
As we noticed in an earlier set of spy photos, the wagon appears to be missing a signature Touring trait. Yes, the tailgate’s glass appears to be fixed in place. As with the bigger 5 Series/i5 Touring, there doesn’t seem to be a way to open the rear window without opening the entire tailgate. Whether that decision stems from cost-cutting, design, aerodynamics, or a little bit of everything, we’ll have to ask BMW when the i3 Touring breaks cover.
Logic tells us the wagon won’t be as aerodynamically efficient as its sedan sibling. However, that might not be such a big deal. With the standard i3 Sedan rated for up to 912 kilometers (567 miles) of range in the WLTP cycle, its long-roof sibling should still comfortably deliver a range comparable to that of a gas-fueled 3 Series Touring.
The i3 Touring Will Precede The Next-Gen 3 Series Touring
The first 3er wagon without a combustion engine is expected to break cover next year, when BMW will also give the 5 Series Touring a Neue Klasse facelift. Codenamed “NA1,” the i3 Touring will be assembled in Munich, and while BMW hasn’t said when production will start, sources say it will begin in mid-2027. Not ready to switch to EVs yet? Another generation of the 3 Series Touring, with combustion engines under the “G51” codename, should arrive shortly thereafter.
Both flavors are rumored to receive the M Performance treatment and even full M variants later in their life cycles, so fans of go-faster wagons have plenty to look forward to.
Video: Bimmer Today / Instagram
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