BMW Actually Built the Wild M3 Race Wagon Fans Thought Was a Joke

BMW has taken what started as a joke and turned it into something very real. Last year’s April Fool’s post about a race-ready wagon got a huge reaction online, and instead of letting it fade away, BMW decided to actually build it.

That is how the BMW M3 Touring 24H came to life. It did not take long either. BMW says the car was put together in about eight months, helped by the fact that the idea of a racing Touring had already been floating around internally for a while.

Underneath, it is basically a BMW M4 GT3 EVO wearing a wagon body. That means proper race hardware, with a 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six pushing out up to 590 horsepower, paired with a six-speed X-Trac gearbox. The bigger body did create some aero headaches, though. BMW had to rethink the rear wing setup, including a new swan-neck mount and revised positioning to keep things stable at speed.

The car will be run by Schubert Motorsport in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, competing in the SPX class. The driver lineup includes Jens Klingmann, Ugo de Wilde, Connor De Phillippi, and Neil Verhagen.

What makes this whole thing interesting is the reason it exists. It is BMW reacting to fans having fun with a joke and deciding to run with it. And honestly, a full-on race wagon at the Nürburgring is way more fun than another concept car that never leaves the showroom floor.