• BMW M3 CS Touring set a Nurburgring estate record with a 7:29.490 lap time.
  • It was driven by Jörg Weidinger, BMW M engineer and hillclimb champion.
  • The 543 hp twin-turbo inline-six sends power to all wheels through M xDrive.

Even in a performance landscape crowded with fast wagons and special-edition badges, some records still turn heads. BMW’s latest lap time at the Nurburgring does just that, putting the spotlight on an unlikely star of the M lineup: a long-roofed powerhouse with room for groceries and a stopwatch-crushing appetite.

Shortly after the M2 CS became the fastest compact car at the Nurburgring with a lap time of 7:25.5, BMW’s performance division returned to the track to test another CS-badged model. The M3 CS Touring completed a lap of the Green Hell in 7:29.490, making it the quickest estate to ever lap the circuit.

A Record-Breaker

The M3 CS Touring was 5.5 seconds faster compared to the regular M3 Touring (7:35.060) that held the previous record since 2022. Compared to other members of the BMW M family, the high performance midsize estate is only slightly slower compared to the M3 CS sedan (7:28.760), although it can’t match the lap times of the lighter M4 CS coupe (7:21.989) and the more hardcore M4 CSL (7:18.137).

More: BMW M Plans A Flagship ‘Dream Car’ For Collectors

The record lap took place on a sunny day of April, but BMW kept it under wraps until today. The M3 CS Touring was piloted by Jörg Weidinger, a BMW M development engineering who is also a former racing driver and hillclimb champion. Weidinger was the first to break the 7.30 minute barrier with an estate model at the Nurburgring.

BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before
BMW’s Family Car Just Broke The ‘Ring With A Record No Wagon Has Touched Before

Practicality Meets Precision

The BMW M3 CS Touring was unveiled earlier this year as a more focused version of the M3 Touring with performance, chassis, and aero upgrades. Its twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six produces 543 hp (405 kW / 550 PS), delivered to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic and BMW’s rear-biased M xDrive system. The car also features revised suspension geometry and more robust brakes, with carbon ceramic discs available as an option.

BMW claims the M3 CS Touring can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (0–62 mph) in 3.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph). It’s not all numbers and lap times, though. The wagon still offers between 500 and 1,510 liters (17.7–53.3 cubic feet) of cargo space, depending on how the seats are arranged.

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Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH, commented: “From the very beginning, it was clear that the BMW M3 CS Touring would set new standards in dynamics. With a time under 7:30 minutes, this model impressively demonstrates that this vehicle concept perfectly combines racing DNA with everyday usability.”

BMW has also released an onboard video of the full lap at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, which you can watch below. Whether another estate will challenge this time remains to be seen. The upcoming Audi RS5 Avant looks like a likely contender, while the larger and heavier M5 Touring is expected to play in a different performance bracket.