The saga relating to whether or not BMW would carry the M3 Touring to America is lengthy over. Formally, the G81 won’t ever be bought in the US. However why is that? BMWBLOG spoke with M boss Frank van Meel on the 2025 Japan Mobility Present in regards to the forbidden fruit. Primarily, all of it got here right down to deciding which mannequin would make the stronger first impression: G81 or G99?
BMW had beforehand constructed an M5 Touring, however the V10-powered E61 was by no means bought within the U.S. Consequently, both the G81 or the G99 would have been the primary M wagon to get a U.S. visa. The latter was deemed the higher candidate due to its V8 engine and footprint. People are likely to choose greater vehicles with large-displacement engines, so the M5 Touring was seen because the safer wager.
Van Meel instructed BMWBLOG that selecting the M5 Touring was “the logical resolution to make on the time.” In different phrases, Munich’s higher-ups anticipated the G99 to promote higher than the G81. Bringing each wagons wasn’t a part of the plan: “There’s just one probability for a primary impression, so we took a protected wager.”
In hindsight, BMW realizes it might need been sensible to promote the M3 Touring within the U.S. The M division boss admitted they had been “not courageous sufficient” to greenlight the G81 for America as a result of they’d “second ideas” about its potential success.
Apparently, a slow-selling M3 wagon would’ve doomed the M5 Touring’s probabilities within the U.S. BMW would have been reluctant to approve one other long-roof M if the smaller wagon had underperformed. Rivals Mercedes and Audi have additionally prevented this area of interest within the U.S. by protecting the AMG C63 Property and RS4 Avant out of the market. The M3 Touring might need stuffed that void, however it’s too late now.
Of all of the M vehicles at present on sale, the Touring fashions’ success has stunned BMW probably the most. The corporate didn’t anticipate the physique fashion to be this standard, particularly within the M5 G99’s case. It initially projected a 70:30 manufacturing break up in favor of the sedan over your entire life cycle. Nonetheless, it has since adjusted output to a 50:50 ratio to fulfill stronger-than-expected demand for the wagon.
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