BMW M3 Touring won’t come cheap

BMW Australia has announced a $177,500 starting pricing for the 2023 BMW M3 Touring, which is now available to order ahead of first local deliveries early next year.

That makes the first BMW M3 wagon – available Down Under in a single premium-spec all-wheel drive variant – $8000 pricier than its four-door equivalent, the 2022 BMW M3 Competition M xDrive sedan, which copped a $3000 price hike in August (now $169,500).

It also makes the M3 Touring twice the price of the only other BMW 3 Series wagon available in Australia, the 330i Touring ($87,300), and almost $23,000 pricier than the Audi RS 4 Avant ($154,591).

But most Aussies will end up paying a lot more than that, beyond the statutory on-road costs, by choosing one of a few very expensive options packages.

Top of the options list is the $17,500 M Carbon Experience, which adds 9.6kg-lighter M Carbon bucket seats, an M Carbon exterior package (including CFRP mirrors caps, rear diffuser and front bumper side inlets), vouchers for BMW M Driving Experience Advance 1 and 2 courses, and the M Driver’s package with a 280km/h top speed.

There’s also the $16,500 M Carbon ceramic brakes package, bringing vented and cross-drilled carbon-ceramic rotors – 400x38mm up front with six-piston fixed callipers, 380x36mm at the rear with single-piston floating calliper, both matt-gold painted.

These replace the standard M Compound steel brake package with the same spec up front (370x24mm rear), with high-gloss red or black callipers available at no cost instead of the standard blue callipers.

Solid paint colour choices are Alpine White and Sao Paulo Yellow, while no-cost metallic hues include Black Sapphire, M Portimao Blue, M Toronto Red, M Isle of Man Green, M Brooklyn Grey, Skyscraper Grey and Aventurine Red.

But extra-cost BMW Individual paint options are Dravit Grey and Tanzanite Blue (both $2500), Frozen Portimao Blue metallic, Frozen Pure Grey metallic, Frozen Black metallic and Frozen Orange metallic (all $5000), plus Frozen Brilliant White Metallic ($7000).

Full Merino leather seat trim is a no-cost option in Yas Marina Blue/Black, Silverstone/Black, Kyalami Orange/Black or Black/Black, while BMW Individual versions include Fiona Red/Black, Tartufo, Ivory White and Fjord Blue/Black (all $1000).

The standard interior M Carbon Fibre trim package includes CFRP steering wheel and gearshift paddle finishes, and no-cost wheel options extend to 19-inch/20-inch M forged double-spoke wheels in M Bicolour Black, M Orbit Grey matt, M Bicolour Black or M Black.

As we’ve reported endlessly, the 2022 BMW M3 Competition M xDrive sedan is powered by 375kW/650Nm 3.0-litre turbo-petrol straight-six, driving all four wheels via and eight-speed M STeptronic automatic transmission, with claimed 0-100km/h acceleration stated at just 3.6sec.

Standard Australian equipment:
19-inch/20-inch M light alloy wheels
Active M Differential
Adaptive M Suspension
Ambient light
Automatic climate control, three-zone
Automatic tailgate
BMW Head-Up Display
BMW Laserlight including High Beam Assistant
BMW Live Cockpit Professional
12.3-inch Instrument Display
14.9-inh Control Display with BMW Operating System 8
BMW M 50 year anniversary badging
Comfort Access system including BMW Digital Key
Connected Package Professional
DAB+ digital radio
Driving Assistant Professional
Electric seat adjustment
Full Leather ‘Merino’ Upholstery
Galvanic embellishers for controls
harman/kardon Surround Sound System
Luggage compartment package
Lumbar Support for driver and front passenger
M Compound Brake, Blue
M Drive Professional
M high-gloss Shadowline with extended contents
M interior trim finishers Carbon Fibre
M Lights Shadowline
M seat belts
M Sport Seats for driver and front passenger
Metallic paintwork
Parking Assistant Plus
Seat Heating for driver and front passenger
Smartphone integration with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
Steering wheel heating
Storage compartment package
Tyre pressure monitoring system
Wireless smartphone charging