With crossovers of all sizes cropping up left and right, you’d think that the traditional station wagon has gone the way of the dodo.

Not for SMC Asia Car Distributors Corp., which is the official importer and distributor of BMW in the Philippines.

The company launched the BMW 3 Series Touring on June 1, 2023 at its RSA Motors dealership in San Juan. This is the wagon version of the popular 3 Series executive sedan.

Wagon revival

SMC Asia Car Distributors Corp. president Spencer Yu told AutoFun Philippines that customers clamored for the return of the Touring, which has not been sold in large numbers locally since the days of the E46 3 Series in the 2000s.

“While Touring models have been out of style, supposedly, in the Philippines, it has not been out of style in the rest of the world,” SMC Asia Car Distributors Corp. president Spencer Yu told AutoFun Philippines.

“In Europe, the 3 and the 5 Series Touring models are as popular as ever because they present a very good proposition of utility without losing the driving dynamics of the sedan counterpart,” he added. “And it just simply presents a very stylish alternative to your daily sedan.”

Mild, spicy and extra hot

The Philippine market will get three variants of this compact sports wagon.

Under the hood, the entry-level 318i Touring gets a turbocharged 2.0-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 gasoline engine with 158 PS and 250 Nm of torque.

Meanwhile, the sportier M340i xDrive packs a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter, twin-cam, 24-valve inline-6 gasoline engine pumping out 392 PS and 500 Nm of torque.

Finally, the range-topping M3 Competition xDrive gets a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 gasoline engine with a whopping 517 PS and 650 Nm. BMW said it can do 0 to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds.

All variants come with an 8-speed automatic gearbox, with xDrive models getting all-wheel drive as standard.

Elegant styling

The 3 Series Touring carries over the large LED headlights and prominent “kidney grills” of the sedan, with the M3 Competition likewise sporting the rather gormless full-length grill.

For the M340i, there’s also an M-Sport bodykit, two-tone alloy wheels, and M-Sport brakes with red calipers. 

The full-fat M3 Competition gets a comprehensive aerodynamics package, including a larger tailgate spoiler and a rear diffuser with quad exhausts. In addition, it gets uprated brakes, suspension and chassis bracing to handle all that power.

Stylish, tech-filled cabin

Inside, the 3 Series Touring gets the sedan’s plush interior, including the huge digital displays for the gauges and the touchscreen infotainment system.

As before, all major vehicle functions are handled by the BMW iDrive, which is operated using a rotary controller next to the gear selector.

The wagon roofline not only helps with the looks but also with improving rear headroom. Cargo space is 500 liters with the split-folding rear seats up, with a load-partition net ensuring that items in the back don’t hurtle to the front. It doesn't get more Euro than that. 

Taking the lead

Yu said it’s too early to tell how well the 3 Series Touring will sell, given that wagons have been few and far between over the last two decades.

“With the Touring not having been present in the market for a long time, and with the popularity of SUVs, it’s still something we’ll have to see how Filipinos can adapt to this,” he said. 

“We’re the only ones,” he said. “Our competitors have brought wagons in super limited numbers, so it’s not really a good gauge. But given the high interest that we’ve had, maybe we’ll see in six months' time or a year’s time.”

The prices of the BMW 3 Series Touring are as follows: 

• 318i Touring – ₱3,890,000

• M340i xDrive Touring – ₱5,890,000

• M3 Competition xDrive Touring – ₱10,490,000

Yu also said he expects the 318i to sell the best, given its price tag.

“Of course, the M340i is an excellent compromise between super high performance and comfort, for the price,” he said. “And for the real hardcore enthusiast, we have the M3.”

Do you think it’s high time to make wagons cool again?

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