Big arches, bigger boot
Caught it.
The new BMW i3 Touring. Testing in the wild, no disguises this time, just fat rear arches and a trunk that actually holds things.
This isn’t a rumor anymore. The estate version of the new BEV is here. And yes, it looks like the saloon. Because why not.
Practicality, electrified
They promised versatility.
The i3 Touring does exactly that. More load space, folding seats, no need to step up to the tall, imposing iX3 if you want luggage room without the SUV silhouette.
Just a bigger boot on a platform already obsessed with range.
“It’s a mission statement. Only with more trunk space.”
Same powertrain lineup? Almost certainly.
Right now there is just one real option for the saloon, the i3 50 xDrive. Dual motors. 462bhp. 645Nm. Single motor versions are coming, presumably.
Range on that saloon setup hits 559 miles. A 112kWh battery pack, heavy but potent, tops the UK charts for EVs available now.
Will the estate match it?
Doubtful.
Physics doesn’t care about branding. Extra glass, extra metal, extra weight means the numbers will drop slightly. It’ll still sit near the top though. Charging speed stays fast, 400kW input, roughly 248 miles added in ten minutes if the charger allows.
Design details
The tail lights stay. Good.
Some older 3 Series estates lost their visual coherence in the back, this one keeps the saloon’s signature light design.
Window line kicks up toward the rear, looking sportier than a grocery hauler has any right to look.
The arches. Wide. Aggressive. Deep rear glass. We don’t know if the hatch opens independently yet. Doesn’t matter much right now.
Coming soon? Not quite.
Frank van Meel from BMW M didn’t deny the electric M3 Touring plans last year. He just didn’t say no. That usually means yes, eventually.
Production for the whole new i3 lineup starts in August.
But you won’t see the estate until early 2027.
Wait time?
Long.
If you can’t hold on that long, the current i5 Touring is on sale with some hefty savings on Auto Express services, over £16,000 off in some cases.
Sell your old one through them too, supposedly get a decent price. Maybe.
We’ll see the i3 estate in about two and a half years. Plenty of time for the charging network to improve. Or for the battery chemistry to shift. Or for you to lose interest in electric sedans with roofs.
