Performance Motors Limited (PML) has just unveiled its newly transformed flagship showroom at Alexandra Road, and if you’re a BMW fan, this is the place to be. The transformation is all about BMW’s Retail.Next philosophy, focusing on customer-centricity, flexibility, and sustainability, while delivering a premium experience.

The launch also coincided with the debut of two updated heavyweights: the BMW M3 Competition Sedan and the BMW M3 Competition Touring.

A New Look for Two Icons

On the outside, both the M3 Sedan and Touring now sport fresh LED headlights, sleekly designed to combine low and high beams into a single module.

Each headlight cluster features two vertically arranged LED units that serve double duty as daytime running lights and turn signals. And to complete the look, both models roll on newly designed M forged light-alloy wheels.

Step inside, and you’re greeted by a revamped three-spoke M leather steering wheel. It’s got a flat-bottomed rim and neatly tweaked spokes, designed to match the sporty feel of the cockpit, which is generously appointed with carbon fibre accents and all the M-badging your heart desires.

Performance That Bites

But the real magic happens under the hood. Thanks to some tweaks in the digital engine control unit, the six-cylinder M TwinPower Turbo engines in both models now crank out an additional 20hp, bringing the total to a jaw-dropping 523bhp. That translates into faster, more aggressive, and relentless power delivery.

With its upgraded engine, the BMW M3 Competition Sedan with M xDrive rockets from 0-100km/h in a blistering 3.5 seconds. The Touring version is only a hair slower, hitting the same mark in 3.6 seconds.

You can check out both models in Performance Motors’ revamped showroom, located at 303 Alexandra Road.

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(Updated 23 October 2023)

Save for the AMG C63 or E63 Estate, you would really need help finding a wagon with lots of space and pace.

Well, enter the BMW M3 Touring. The car that everyone has been waiting for. A compact yet spacious, practical wagon with so much grip and grunt (more than 500 bhp), your family will be tossed like a salad by the time you arrive home.

Equipped with a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged inline-six engine that produces a mad 503 bhp and 650 Nm of torque. The car will go from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds. That’s supercar-fast.

If all you wanted was speed, then an M3 or M4 would have sufficed. But, no, you’re someone who thinks of their family too. Or you’re simply different. So you want something that says you’re a discerning driver and unique.

Which is why you’re looking at the M3 Touring. Aside from looking totally different from the sedan and coupe, this car has the added practicality that the other M3 variants lack. So you can take it on a road trip with your family and friends and not worry about having enough room for your luggage (and shopping).

Okay, with 500 litres of space, it’s not much larger than the sedan, but the opening is taller, making loading large items much more accessible. You can also fold the rear seats down and liberate even more space. Did you know that BMW Touring variants also have a rear window opening that allows you to load small items without needing to open the whole hatch? This is especially useful when you park too close to a wall or tree.

In order to find out how the M3 Touring would fare in daily-driven scenarios, we stuffed our resident fuel economy tester in the driver’s seat and sent him on his way. He returned with an average fuel economy of 11.9km/litre across 509.4km, which bettered BMW’s claimed 9.6km/litre average.

Naturally, how you drive will determine the actual economy you’ll achieve, but with your inner Zen-mode engaged, the M3 Touring can be lived with and daily-driven.

Inside, the wagon is sporty and has bits of carbon fibre with lots of leather and racy red highlights to remind you that you’re in an M.

Like most modern BMWs, the M3 Touring has a pretty innovative infotainment system designed to keep drivers connected and informed on the road. The system features a high-resolution touchscreen display that, once you’re familiar, is easy to use and navigate. It also includes advanced voice recognition technology, allowing you to control the system without taking your hands off the wheel.

For all the performance that the M3 Touring wields, it also comes packed with some safety driving assistance tech that includes features like lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and blind spot monitoring.

With BMW’s xDrive (AWD), the M3 Touring has loads of grip and feels planted through a series of bends I put it through. In addition, the tuning work done to the car to allow it to cope with the added weight and dimensions work well to make it feel as nimble as the sedan.

The BMW M3 Touring is like a Swiss Army knife on wheels. It’s fast, luxurious, and practical. It’s also expensive. Depending on the COE, the car retails for around SGD 600,000. This puts it beyond the reach of mere mortal humans.

It may have taken a while to be created (and land on our shores), but it’s an exceptional car meant for that special few.

Photo Credits: Joel Tam (@joel_tam)

Technical Specifications

BMW M3 Touring Competition xDrive
Engine: 2,993cc inline six-cylinder, turbocharged
Gearbox: Eight speed automatic
Drive: 4WD & 2WD switchable
Power: 510hp @ 5,510-7,200 rpm
Torque: 650Nm @ 2,750-5,500 rpm
0-100km/h: 3.6 seconds (claimed)
Top Speed: 250km/h (280km/h de-restricted) (claimed)
Fuel Economy: 10.4-litres/100km or 9.6km/litre (claimed)
Price: S$622,888 with COE (accurate at the time of this article)
Contact: BMW Singapore

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