With good reason, tuners are eager to get their hands on the BMW M3 Touring since the performance wagon has been decades in the making. But what about working on a back-to-basics 320d? Japanese aftermarket specialist 3D Design decided to sprinkle some of its magic onto the mile-cruncher by tweaking the facelifted version equipped with the M Sport Package.
The long-roof 3 Series diesel has been tastefully modified with 3D Design’s front spoiler lip updated to better match the LCI model. It’s made from carbon fiber, which was also used for the side skirts making the sports wagon look more muscular from the profile. Some would argue the rear diffuser (also from carbon) is overkill for a lowly 320d, but with BMW now putting quad exhausts on four-cylinder M Performance models, anything is permitted.
Wearing the 50 years of M anniversary emblems, this diesel Touring also has a new roof spoiler and sits closer to the road courtesy of suspension lowering springs. 3D Design swapped out the OEM wheels in favor of a forged set with a brushed finish measuring 20 inches at both front and rear axles. Eagle-eyed readers will spot a more subtle change at the front where the tuner installed a custom kidney grille mimicking the honeycomb pattern of the M340i/M340d.
The G21 represents a lucrative model for tuners considering it will have an unusually long shelf life. The same can be said for the equivalent G20 sedan, with BMW believed to have extended the life cycles of both body styles by a couple of years until 2027. To keep the cars fresh and competitive, a second LCI is rumored to arrive about a year from now.
Mind you, this isn’t the last generation of the 3 Series to have combustion engines. The G50 Sedan and G51 Touring on an updated CLAR platform are expected to land in 2027 and stick around until later in the next decade. It means there’s still going to be some demand for tuned engines. However, BMW will eventually discontinue the ICE-powered 3 Series and sell only the i3 or whatever name the electric model will have.
Source: 3D Design