BMW’s Next Electric Wagon Spied Ahead Of 2027 Reveal: Video

Car paparazzi have caught the i3 Touring racking up miles during testing at the Nürburgring.

Photo by: CarSpyMedia

By: Adrian Padeanu

Nov 6, at 2:14am ET

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SUV fatigue? We get it. Thankfully, BMW is offering an alternative for those who aren't particularly fond of the industry's obsession with high-riding vehicles. The new i3 Touring has been caught on video testing at the Nürburgring, giving us another glimpse of the electric wagon that's shaping up to be one of the more interesting additions to the Neue Klasse family.

The footage shows a partially camouflaged prototype putting in laps at the Green Hell. Although there's some disguise at the front, we can't imagine BMW making major changes, if any, compared to the i3 sedan. The real changes happen behind the B-pillars, where engineers and designers have worked together on a longer roof that ends in a more practical tailgate.

Speaking of the roof, eagle-eyed readers will notice the panoramic glass top. We're bringing it up for two reasons. First, it's standard on the i3 sedan, so it'll likely be standard on the wagon as well. Second, it's a one-piece setup, meaning it doesn't have a section that slides open like the one on the outgoing 3 Series Touring.

BMW's Signature Touring Feature Might Be Gone

At the back, the prototype appears to be missing the button that opens the rear glass separately from the tailgate. BMW removed this long-running Touring feature from the larger 5 Series/i5 Touring, and it appears to be doing the same with the upcoming i3 Touring. If a 3 Series wagon with combustion engines follows, it likely won't have it either. Why? The easiest explanation would be cost-cutting, but when we asked BMW why the 5 Series dropped it, we were told it was all in the name of aerodynamics.

As for the interior, logic tells us it'll be largely carried over from the i3 sedan. You know what that means: a large center screen, a pillar-to-pillar windshield projection, and fewer physical controls. BMW is putting its signature iDrive rotary knob in the rearview mirror, and we're certain the i3 Touring won't have the dial between the seats.

Of course, the real benefit of going for the Touring will be practicality. The sedan's 420-liter trunk will make way for a more generous cargo area, while the 31-liter front storage compartment is likely to carry over unchanged. That should make the i3 Touring a compelling alternative to the new iX3, one that, I might add, will look considerably better.

2027 BMW i3 Sedan

Photo by: BMW

BMW Is Saving The Wagons

There's a certain irony in BMW expanding its electric lineup with a second wagon, following the i5 Touring, when so much of the industry has shifted toward crossovers. Not everyone wants to sit higher off the ground, and some of us still appreciate the combination of a long roof, a lower center of gravity, and a generous trunk. Besides, the Touring badge has a long history at BMW, and electrification shouldn't mean abandoning the body styles that made the brand appealing in the first place.

The i3 Touring is expected to break cover in 2027, when BMW will also facelift the i5 Touring, bringing it into the modern Neue Klasse era. Hopefully, another generation of the 3 Series wagon with combustion engines will follow later this decade. The bigger question is whether there are plans to ship some of these to the United States, where the only BMW wagon is the pricey M5 Touring.

2027 BMW i3 Sedan

Photo by: BMW

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M Versions In The Works

Looking ahead, BMW M is also expected to help develop a high-performance version. The first to arrive should be an i3 M60, echoing the already revealed sedan, but a full-fat electric M3 Touring with a quad-motor setup could also be in the cards. If another generation of the combustion-powered 3 Series Touring is indeed happening, it would make sense to offer it in both M Performance and full-fat M flavors.

Despite looking almost identical inside and out, the i3 Touring and 3 Series Touring would be fundamentally different cars underneath. The former rides on BMW's dedicated Neue Klasse electric architecture, while the latter would retain its CLAR platform. Production would take place at different factories, with BMW already confirming Munich for the i3 Touring while its 3 Series-badged cousin would be built in Dingolfing alongside the sedan.