BMW waited until 2022 to give wagon enthusiasts an M3 Touring with the launch of the G81. Sure, there was a long-roof M3 back in 2000 during the E46 generation. However, that was an internal project never intended for sale. What if we told you there’s an M3 E36 Touring out there? While it wasn’t actually built by BMW, it’s a compelling aftermarket conversion.
This 1996 3 Series wagon began life as a mundane 320i before receiving a full M3 makeover. Not only does it feature the “S50” engine from a proper second-generation M3, but it also borrows the exhaust and brakes. The transformation included a limited-slip differential, along with wheels, bumpers, and side skirts sourced from a full-fat M3. To complete the illusion, the interior was refitted with genuine E36 M3 parts. All told, it appears as if BMW built it that way from the start.
Dutch seller Premium Classics claims the vehicle has actually been registered as an M3 Touring. To make it even more convincing, small details such as the mirrors and trim were also taken from the real thing. Initially delivered to a customer in Germany, the wagon has since been resprayed, bringing the Boston Green Metallic paint back to a high shine, including on the steel sunroof.
This one-of-one M3 Touring E36 has covered 159,217 kilometers (98,933 miles) and is now looking for a new home. It’s listed for €50,000 ($58,500), which certainly doesn’t make it cheap. Then again, it’s a veritable unicorn and appears to be in impeccable condition. It feels just as special as the 1996 M3 Compact E36, a car BMW itself built back in the day but, sadly, never sold.
In hindsight, this is the type of car BMW probably should have made. It harkens back to a time when SUVs weren’t dominating the brand’s lineup. In fact, the X5 didn’t arrive until 1999, the final year of M3 E36 production. Still, perhaps we should see the glass half full. In 2025, the M3 Touring is available alongside the M5 Touring, even though the former remains a forbidden fruit in North America. Full details, along with a complete photo gallery of this unique M3 E36 Touring, are available at the source link below. Source: Premium Classics
First published by https://www.bmwblog.com
