Watch The BMW M3 Wagon Set A New Nurburgring Record

We're used to writing about forbidden fruit here at CarBuzz. We stay on top of global news and often cover big reveals of world models from brands that aren't represented in the USA. But some forbidden fruit is more bitter than others, as is the case with the BMW M3 Touring, which has just set a record for the fastest station wagon around the Nurburgring with a time of 7:35.06, making it 10.13 seconds faster around the 12.9-mile-long circuit than the next quickest wagon, the Mercedes-AMG E63 S Wagon, which managed the feat in 7:45.19 back in 2017. This is despite a rather substantial power and torque deficit of 100 horsepower and 148 lb-ft of torque. It also makes it quicker than the Audi RS4 Avant which could only muster a time of 7:58.52.

Available solely in Competition xDrive guise, the BMW M3 Touring's 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six produces 503 hp and 479 lb-ft, sent to a rear-biased all-wheel drivetrain exclusively via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. We'd previously seen estimates that the wagon would manage the feat in 7:30, making it 15 seconds slower than the much stiffer, much lighter, and RWD-only BMW M4 CSL. The M3 Touring did achieve a 7:30.3 time on the shorter bridge-to-gantry lap, which is 0.1 miles shorter.

It's worth remembering that, unlike the CSL, the wagon is not only heavier but far less rigid. Journalists always like to wax on about how wagons provide sedan-like performance and SUV-like practicality, but the lack of a rear bulkhead found on a sedan beneath the rear windscreen actually reduces the torsional rigidity of a station wagon. Combine that with the wagon's lack of a carbon fiber roof, and it makes BMW's feat at the 'Ring even more impressive.

The record-setting car was piloted by Jorg Weidinger of the BMW M Function Integration Driving Dynamics department.

We've known for some time that BMW was going after a Nurburgring record after the brand posted images of the camouflaged prototype wearing a sticker that said "B'Ring it on." with the outline of the famous circuit. It's no surprise the magicians from Munich have delivered, as you can't make such claims only to fail to deliver, and in the year in which you celebrate 50 years of BMW M, smashing a few records is a mighty fine way to celebrate.

Whether the car was completely stock or not is debatable, however, as brands often run cars around the 'Ring with roll cages "for safety", stripped-out interiors, and even stickier tires. That's a debate for another day, however.

The BMW M3 Touring will be revealed in full on Thursday 23 June at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, alongside a fully decked-out version sporting the entire range of M Performance parts.