Americans are still salty about the lack of an M3 Touring. But we’ve got good news: more rare wagons may be considered for the U.S. market in the future. In exclusive talks with Bernd Koerber, Senior Vice President BMW Brand and Product Management, we learned that wagons could be back on the American menu. Of course, there are some limiting factors.
Rare BMW Tourings May Hit the U.S. Shores
We asked Bernd flat out: would he ever consider selling an M3 Touring or 3 Series Touring in the States? To our surprise, he said yes. “There is a market in the U.S. for more extreme Tourings,” says Koerber. “Whenever we have something or do something special, and then also bring something to the U.S., that can work,” he continues. He explains that the way Europe and American markets view wagons is similar, but also different.
“In Europe, I would say the Touring is a combination of cool, unique shape, but also this functional aspect of it,” he says. Meanwhile, in America, he says that shoppers gravitate to Touring models more for their unique shape. And, due to the appeal lying strictly in the car’s silhouette, he sees no reason to restrict Touring models in the US to just the 5 Series. “If we do it, it does not have to be restricted to 5,” he told us.
Of course, we think you’ll have better luck holding out for an M3 Touring or higher than, say, a base 3 Series wagon. A large scale invasion of the wagons is unlikely, as Bernd clarifies any U.S.-bound Touring must be “unique.” He explains: “I would never go a mass approach as we do in Europe. I would also always go top engine. I would follow the logic of ‘okay, this is will not be a volume model, it will be a niche.’” He says that doing so pays into the brand. In our words, rare Touring models elevate the brand to an either wider audience while also catering to enthusiasts who’ve already been asking for these models Stateside for years.
Was the G81 M3 Touring a Missed U.S. Opportunity?
When asked if the brand’s choice not to bring the current M3 Touring stateside was a missed opportunity, Koerber’s answer was equally clear: no. He thinks there’s something to be said for uniqueness, and our interpretation of his words is that BMW ensured demand and made sure the M3 Touring was treated as something special specifically by excluding U.S. shoppers from the club. Going “all in” and offering the G81 to the States might have backfired by “watering down” the uniqueness of the Touring.
We’re not sure we agree on the last bit, but either way, it seems that BMW is more than open to bringing some exotic wagons to the United States in the future. We can’t wait to see what’s in the pipeline. And, more importantly, how “niche” these models will really be.
