I’ve often argued that doing handbrake turns in empty, snowed-over parking lots is educational, not antisocial like the police always tell me. I wonder if BMW’s test driver used the same excuse to go sliding in this M3 Touring.

Whether it was an excuse or a genuine performance test that our spy photographers caught a camouflage-covered test car doing here, it looks like it was a whole hell of a lot of fun.

The M3 Touring, naturally, is the wagon version of the M3. As such, not a lot is expected to change beyond the extra sheet metal and practicality. That means a 3.0-liter straight-six making 473 hp (or 503 hp in Competition spec).

We’ve already seen the car testing around the Nurburgring, so as you’d expect this will probably be a real performer. Unfortunately, it won’t be crossing the Atlantic and gracing US shores.

That’s not for lack of trying from US enthusiasts, though. A Change.org petition currently has more than 4,800 signatures asking for BMW to “embrace Audi‘s decision to bring the RS6 Avant to the US Market.”

Of course, the RS6 Avant is a little bigger than the M3 Touring, but I’m sure most signatories would be equally pleased with an M5 Touring if it were possible.

We doubt these latest spy pics will make things better for those enthusiasts. Mind you, European enthusiasts won’t be any better off this year, because the M3 Touring isn’t expected to hit showrooms until 2022.

Content from https://www.carscoops.com/2021/03/ah-to-be-a-2022-bmw-m3-touring-test-driver-running-rings-in-the-snow/