The BMW M3 Touring had long been in the mind's eye of Garching’s engineers (and indeed those of M car purists) before it was launched a few years ago.
It was, as to be expected, a brilliant performance estate that neatly captured the handling and dynamism of the M3 super-saloon in a more practical and usable package.
Four years on, the M3 Touring has become the benchmark of its class, and last year it received a number of tweaks in an attempt to make this already excellent driver's car just that bit sweeter.
It was unenviable task for the M division but one that they clearly approached with caution.
The mid-life facelift has brought a handful of tweaks to the exterior and interior, while BMW has also extracted more power from the twin-turbocharged straight-six petrol engine.
Has this helped the M3 Touring to retain its position at the top of the class and kept rivals from Audi and Mercedes at bay? Let’s find out.
