The BMW M division is responsible for some of the most iconic vehicles in recent history. Since the 1970s, the tuning and design unit has turned out some 35 plus nameplates (and many more watered-down “M Performance” models) like M535i, M Coupe and of course the one that started it all, the M1, although this remains up for debate. The M3 and M5 are the longest running models in the portfolio with six generations of each hitting showrooms.

The M division first made its name with modified coupes, sedans and two-seaters but eventually turned its hand to an unfamiliar silhouette: the estate. Hoping to combine performance and utility in an attractive package, the very first M5 Touring was born in 1992. It would prove a popular outfit with a handful of generations making it to market since then, but it never cemented a permanent position in the portfolio alongside the M5 sedan. And although an estate version of the 3 Series has been on sale since the late 1980s, the M division never released its own high-performance M3 Touring. A crying shame in this writer’s eyes.