BMW M3 CS Touring Sets New Nürburgring Lap Record For Wagons
The BMW M3 CS Touring has claimed the crown as the fastest wagon ever to lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife, shaving time off its own record.
Key Points
- The high-performance wagon clocked a 7:29.490 lap, beating the standard M3 Touring's time by half a second.
- With 542 hp, retuned chassis, carbon ceramic brakes, and 15 kg of weight savings, the CS Touring reaches 0–62 mph in just 3.5 seconds.
- The new record is only one second slower than the four-door M3 CS sedan, reinforcing BMW’s claim that the Touring CS is the ultimate "one-car solution."
Clocking in at 7 minutes 29.490 seconds, the high-performance wagon narrowly beat the non-CS M3 Touring’s best by just half a second. The standard version posted a 7:35 lap in 2022 before improving to 7:30 earlier this year with BMW test driver Jörg Weidinger behind the wheel.
"From the very beginning, it was clear that the BMW M3 CS Touring would set new standards in dynamics," said BMW M CEO Frank van Meel. "This record proves how the CS perfectly combines racing DNA with everyday usability."
The CS Touring gains a bump in output from its 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged straight-six, which now churns out 542 horsepower, and sprints to 62 mph in 3.5 seconds on its way to a top speed of 186 mph. Additional upgrades include a retuned exhaust system, exclusive chassis settings, and M Carbon ceramic brakes.
Despite weighing 15 kilograms less than the standard Touring, BMW jokes that the weight difference could be matched by “eating less.”
While still well behind its coupe siblings—the M4 CSL’s 7:18.1 record and the M4 CS’s 7:21.9 lap—the Touring CS is really only a second slower than the four-door M3 CS sedan. BMW says the M3 Touring is “the perfect one-car solution,” blending family practicality with track performance.
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An experienced automotive storyteller and accomplished photographer known for engaging and insightful content. Michael also brings a wealth of technical knowledge—he was part of the Ford GT program at Multimatic, oversaw a fleet of Audi TCR race cars, ziptied Lamborghini Super Trofeo cars back together, been over the wall during the Rolex 24, and worked in the intense world of IndyCar.
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