BMW’s Secret E46 M3 Touring Revealed
Hidden for a decade in a BMW M-Division garage in Garching Germany is the most sought-after and forbidden fruit for BMW Touring enthusiasts: The M3 Sport Wagon. Built as an “M3 Concept” in the early 2000’s, the E46 M3 Touring was never put into production and was kept secret until very recently (like its big brother: the secret E39 M5 Touring). Built on the standard E46 chassis (wagons built from 1998 til 2005), the M3 Touring would have packed the same S34 M-Division engine as the M3 coupe and convertible: a 333 horsepower 3.2L straight-six. Furthermore, with a 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive, and a limited-slip differential, the M3 Sport Wagon would have been the best-handling wagon in the world (and near the fastest, competing directly with the B5 Audi RS4 Avant). Yet BMW decided axe the Touring version (and sedan) and thus relegated the E46 M3 Touring to the dreams of Bimmerphiles and the depths of M-Division HQ as a museum piece.
July 5th, 2011
Specifications
| Engine | 3.2L Inline-6 |
| Designation | S54B32 |
| Horsepower | 333/346 (US/Euro) |
| Torque | 262 lb-ft |
| 0-60 | Est. 5.0 seconds |
| 1/4 | Est. 13.5 @ 105 |
| Top Speed | 155 (limited) 175 de-governed (est) |
| Weight | Est. 3,500 lbs |
| Weight Distribution | 50/50 |
| Transmission | 6-speed Manual |
| Cargo Capacity | 48 cu. ft. (seats down) |
| Drivetrain | Front-Engined, Rear-Wheel Drive |