American car enthusiasts have long been enamored with high-performance wagons, particularly those from Europe that are rare in the U.S. market. Despite the American preference for SUVs and the automakers’ focus on this trend, a select few European performance wagons occasionally make their way stateside, such as the Mercedes-AMG E63 wagon, Audi RS6 Touring, and soon, the BMW M5 Touring.
Exciting news for wagon enthusiasts: According to Carbuzz’s scoop from Monterey Auto Week, BMW might be contemplating introducing another wagon to the U.S. market—the BMW M3 Touring, a family-oriented variant of the popular M3.
Carbuzz interviewed Andreas Meyer, BMW’s VP of Product Management for North America, who hinted that if the 2025 M5 Touring proves successful in the U.S., BMW might bring the next-generation M3 Touring here as well.
However, importing a vehicle from another market to the U.S. is a complex process. The stringent U.S. crash and emissions regulations pose challenges. If a vehicle isn’t initially designed for the American market, adapting it to meet federal standards can be prohibitively costly. While the M3 sedan is available in the U.S., the wagon would require separate certification due to its different rear structure, and any new body style necessitates re-certification for emissions and fuel economy. These costs impact the vehicle’s profitability.
Meanwhile, manufacturing limitations also play a role. If BMW’s production capacity is already allocated to other markets for the M3 Touring, it may not be economically viable to offer it in the U.S.
Interestingly, the current M3 is too advanced in its product cycle for U.S. certification, but the upcoming generation might be an all-electric model, simplifying the compliance with emissions regulations due to the lack of a tailpipe.