A limited-run top-spec ‘CS’ version of the M3 Touring estate can now be configured and ordered on the BMW website, which the manufacturers says further enhances the estate’s “unique combination of exhilarating performance and exceptional practicality.”
Put simply, this is the estate version of the high-power all-wheel drive M3 CS saloon that arrived in the UK in early 2023 – another sporty limited edition BMW ‘M’ offering that is no longer available to purchase from new.
Like the saloon, the eight-speed automatic M3 CS Touring distinguishes itself from the standard range by sporting a more prominent front splitter design and unique double-spoke alloy wheels (19-inch alloys in the front, 20-inch in the rear). The large kidney grilles remain, but carry fewer internal vanes to give the performance estate a meaner look. The car is fitted with yellow LED headlights – a clear nod to the championship-winning BMW racing cars of the 1970s.
Built alongside the M3 Competition range in BMW’s Munich factory, the CS Touring is powered by the same twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre petrol engine as the M3, but with a 40hp boost – 550hp in total. While the M3 CS saloon could complete a 0-62mph sprint in 3.4 seconds, this estate variant can complete the same sprint in 3.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 186 mph. BMW adds that the model has a fuel consumption of around 27mpg.
Stepping inside, the CS Touring comes with a continuous curved display jutting out of the dashboard, combining a 12-inch digital instrument cluster and a 15-inch infotainment touchscreen running the brand’s ‘8.5’ operating system. The estate can accommodate up to 500 litres of luggage in the boot – 125 litres more than the standard M3 – and this expands to 1,510 litres with the rear seats folded.
The model comes with BMW’s ‘M Drive Professional’ package as standard, which includes a drift analyser and lap timer, as well as an ‘M Mode’ button on the centre console which can be used to configure the driver assistance systems and the content shown on both the information display and head-up display.
The car also comes with a head-up display that projects driving information on to the windscreen, two-zone automatic climate control, a premium Harman Kardon speaker system and wireless smartphone charging.
Now live on BMW’s online configurator, this top-spec performance estate is now available to order from just under £124k (on the road price), with the first customer deliveries scheduled to arrive on UK roads in March.
On sale since 2021, the BMW M3 range currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of C, with a score of 65% in our Expert Rating index. Notwithstanding its excellent media reviews and decent safety score, the M3 is hampered by its poor scores for reliability and running costs.