Article Summary
- Codenamed NA1, the fully electric BMW i3 Touring will be made in Munich.
- Our sources say BMW is also making a G51 3 Series Touring with combustion engines.
- The next 3 Series wagon could debut as early as next year.
Automakers are gushing over SUVs of all shapes and sizes, but BMW isn’t abandoning the good ol’ station wagon. Earlier today, Munich released a fresh batch of teaser images featuring the next Touring model. The shadowy photos briefly appeared in the background while Oliver Zipse delivered his final speech as CEO.
Speaking during the 106th Annual General Meeting, the man who spent a remarkable 35 years with BMW explained why the luxury brand remains committed to the 3 Series Touring. While it may seem that a new wagon would face an uphill battle in a world dominated by SUVs, Munich has analyzed the market and concluded there’s enough potential demand to justify another long-roof 3er.
“The 3 Series is more than just a sedan – and it will remain that way in the future. The 3 Series Touring is very popular with families and business customers, which is why we have already confirmed this model.”
i3 Touring Is Happening, And Possibly A Gas-Powered 3 Series Touring As Well
Although BMW’s former CEO refrained from discussing powertrains, a fully electric i3 Touring has already been confirmed. Internally known as the “NA1,” the car will be assembled in Munich alongside the i3 sedan (“NA0”). The latter enters production this August, before deliveries in Europe begin several weeks later. We believe the wagon will follow in 2027 or, at the latest, 2028.
What about another generation with combustion engines? Our sources say a “G51” is also happening, despite earlier uncertainty about whether the “G21” would receive a direct successor. The fact that Zipse referred to the car as the 3 Series Touring, rather than specifically calling it the i3 Touring, also leads us to believe there will be versions with gasoline and diesel engines under the hood.
At the i3 Sedan’s debut in March, BMW product chief Bernd Körber hinted at another ICE-powered 3 Series Touring:
“I would say, in principle, with few exceptions, that’s our thinking [combustion engines and electric]. There’s hardly anything in the pipeline where we have basically one variant only. There’s something [pure EV] in the pipeline, but the majority of our portfolio is always from that logic of technology openness.”
With a combustion-engine 3 Series estate all but confirmed, it would make sense to build the car alongside the sedan. Production of the 3er with conventional drivetrains is moving to Dingolfing, making the “G50” the first 3 Series not to be built in Munich. The statement is true if we exclude the i3, which we shouldn’t, since BMW considers it an electric 3 Series.
New 3 Series Sedan Debuts Soon. Touring Should Follow In 2027
The “G50” hasn’t been officially revealed yet, but we’ll see the car in the coming months before series production begins in late 2026 in Dingolfing. Knowing BMW’s product cadence, the more practical “G51” should follow roughly a year later.
Whether M Performance and full-fat M versions of the wagons are in the pipeline remains unclear, but it’s best to be patient. Even a large automaker such as BMW can’t launch everything at once. Ideally, both the 3 Series and i3 Tourings will spawn sporty derivatives with an inline-six and a quad-motor setup, respectively.
