THE BREAKDOWN BMW has confirmed a new i3 / 3 Series Touring model. The wagon variant will follow the launch of the sedan later this year. This rendering predicts what the production i3 Touring could look like. It's unclear if the wagon variant would come to the US—but we're hoping. The introduction of the Neue Klasse is arguably BMW’s biggest move in decades. Launching this new era with the iX3 SUV and i3 sedan makes sense from a business perspective, as these models are among the most important in the German automaker’s lineup. Fortunately, BMW isn’t overlooking the other body styles that helped define the brand. During the i3’s presentation, BMW teased a matching wagon variant—a so-called Touring model. While the company only shared a single shadowy teaser, we’ve created a rendering of what the i3 Touring could look like. And it looks sharp. BMW i3 Touring Rendering By Motor1 Near the end of the i3 presentation, CEO Oliver Zipse briefly mentioned the new 3 Series Touring: "Business customers and families will be especially pleased—the Touring has always been very popular with them," he said. BMW hasn’t confirmed which powertrains will be offered, but it would make sense to mirror the sedan’s approach, giving buyers a choice between electric and combustion engines. In other words, expect both an i3 wagon and a 3 Series wagon. They will likely look similar on the outside but be completely different under the skin. One question is whether the next 3 Series wagon will lose a feature that the latest 5 Series wagon doesn't offer: the rear window no longer opens separately from the tailgate. The current 3 Series wagon still has this feature, but it remains to be seen if the next generation will keep it. Even if that feature disappears, it’s a minor drawback. The key takeaway is that BMW is keeping the wagon body style alive. Together with the 5 Series wagon, this ensures buyers have more choices and solid alternatives to SUVs. Speaking of the 3 Series wagon, we also can’t ignore the future M3 wagon. The next-generation M3 sedan has been in testing for years and is expected to come with both a six-cylinder gasoline engine and a fully electric drivetrain. Whether the same applies to the M3 wagon remains uncertain, but given the current G81 generation’s success, a new version seems almost certain. There’s still no official release date for the new 3 Series wagon. The i3 sedan is set to debut in fall 2026, with the new gasoline-powered 3 Series arriving a bit later. That suggests the wagon models will likely follow sometime in 2027. Motor1's Take: If the new i3 Touring looks this good—count us in. While opinions have been divided on the styling of the i3 sedan, adding a wagon back end of the Neue Klasse design could make it more appealing. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team
