Back in 2010, at a time when I was significantly younger and more foolish than I am now, I had a real hankering for a rear-wheel drive wagon. I couldn't tell you what made the idea of an estate car so appealing to 23-year-old me, but I knew what I wanted, and I ended up with a Montreal Blue E36 320i Touring (not quite an M Sport, sadly) from a second-hand dealer forecourt just outside Coulsdon in Surrey.

I think I spent the princely sum of £1,600 on the car, and I quickly learned that whilst it made an exceptionally fruity noise from the straight-six engine, its speed and power didn't quite live up to my hopes and expectations. Many of my similarly aged friends thought I'd gone a bit mad with my purchase choice. I didn't care, though, for the simple reason that I thought it was brilliant.

The debate about whether or not sporty estate cars are cool still echoes through beer gardens and car-focused WhatsApp groups worldwide, but I stand by my life choices and have the same opinion of them now that I had when I was 23 years old - estate cars are cool; fast estate cars are especially cool.

Since 2010, as you may be aware, the motoring world has come quite a long way, but fortunately, a few manufacturers are still waving the flag for powerful wagons. Audi has been at it for decades with the RS4 and RS6, and Mercedes-Benz has delivered with it's prevalent C and E class AMG wagons.

By contrast, BMW has had an interesting relationship with the fast estate car - dipping in and out since the late 1980s with the iconic M5, but up until recently, there has been a little more than an M performance edition 3 and 5 series to get excited about. That's all about to change, though, thanks to BMW's fantastic decision to offer the first-ever BMW M3 touring, which will arrive in showrooms in late 2022/early 2023.

There is another option on the table for anyone who has missed out on the first allocation slots or wants to beat the potential build time delays on the new M3 touring, though, and I believe it might be one of the best cars on the market today. It's the G21 BMW M340i xDrive LCI, and I think it is excellent for many reasons.

While BMW has been loosely throwing the word 'new' around this latest iteration of the 3 series, in reality, it is just a facelifted version of the G20/21 model, which has been available since early 2019. Don't let that be a negative point, though, as with this facelift comes a substantially upgraded interior and some exterior styling upgrades.

Let's start with the facts, stats and figures. It has an inline six-cylinder 2,998cc turbocharged engine producing an impressive 374hp at 5500-6500rpm. It makes just shy of 370 ft-lbs / 500nm of torque within a broad range of 1900-5000prm and can launch from 0-62mph in an impressive 4.4 seconds. xDrive signifies that it's a four-wheel drive, and the power is delivered to all four wheels via a ZF8 automatic gearbox with manual paddle shift override. The M340i has a restricted top speed of 155mph and can return a surprisingly sensible 36.2mpg. As headlines go, it's all pretty good news, and the price is competitive, too.

Prices for the touring start at £56,455, but expect that price to increase slightly if you plan to upgrade sound systems and interior luxuries. I had a play with the BMW configurator and built a car with the technology pack option ticked for things like wireless charging, an upgraded Harmon Kardon sound system and assisted drive cruise control, and the final price came to £63,930.

So, what's new with the LCI facelift? Outside, the front end has been completely redesigned with a new front bumper, grilles and headlight units. The front end looks more aggressive and (in my personal opinion) is a significant improvement. It's the same story at the back of the car with a redesigned bumper and a new non-functional diffuser.

Inside the car, the big glaring change that comes with the facelift is the large curved screen which is now making its way into the entire BMW range. The new single-screen unit stretches from the driver's seat to the middle of the car, giving the interface a futuristic and sleek feel. BMW has taken advantage of the new large touchscreen unit by removing physical buttons that previously controlled the climate and heated seats. An idea that's fine in theory but can be frustrating in practice when you're on the move and wanting to make quick adjustments. Fortunately, the iDrive system can still be controlled with physical buttons on the centre console. BMW has always been at the forefront of technology with heads-up displays, and this has also been updated with a crisp and clear display projected onto the windscreen.

It's all 'so far, so good' with the M340i LCI. It looks good, the interior is innovative and functional, and the upgrades are all (on the whole) positive. But of course, most people would be looking to buy the M340i version of the 3 series touring for the drive and performance, and fortunately, it's all good here too.

The powerplant in the M340i is the highly acclaimed B58 engine. This engine has now been added to a variance of performance BMW cars, and I feel the engineers behind its creation should be offered a lifetime achievement award. It really is a masterpiece and paired with the fantastic xDrive system and ZF8 gearbox; it provides absolutely nothing to moan about. Despite being turbocharged, the engine gives similar characteristics to the iconic naturally aspirated straight-six BMW M engines of the early-to-mid 2000s, which were often celebrated as the star of the show in the M3 of the era. The M340i also has a mild hybrid system hidden away in the drivetrain, which boosts power delivery on hard acceleration, giving an additional spritely feel.

The chassis feels tight and reassuringly firm for spirited driving on twisty B-roads. Some may feel the ride is a little firm, even in the most comfortable setting; however, given the brief, it's not insulting. After all, anyone buying the sporty version of the car is likely to expect - and perhaps desire - a slightly firmer ride compared to the non-M models. One note on the handling front is that the M340i is equipped as standard with run-flat tyres, providing an additional compromise for the ride. BMW is not to blame for this; this is simply down to the construction of the tyres, which could be swapped out later for a slightly smoother ride.

Drive-by-wire is the modern way with all performance cars, and while the hard-core driving purists may still moan about it, everything works brilliantly, from steering input to brakes. Everything about the M340i performs in a way that's predictable, engaging, and, most of all, fun. As is standard with all BMW M and M performance cars, driver modes can be customised to suit individual preferences. My preferred setup in the M340i matched all previous M/M performance cars with suspension and steering in comfort, the engine in sport + and the gearbox with manual override.

The xDrive system, as it has been for many generations now, is fantastic for spirited driving and frequently gives the feel and characteristics of a rear-wheel-drive car. You can feel the xDrive system at play when needed, but it doesn't ever feel intrusive or interfering. Historically, I'd have turned my nose at the idea of a four-wheel drive performance BMW, but in truth, I can't find anything to complain about as it is and would even go as far as saying I'd almost certainly opt for the xDrive if given the option for an RWD version.

The true joy of the M340i Touring is the daily practicality you have available as a driver. The interior is spacious, the rear leg room is ample, and thanks to the estate body, the back seat feels brighter and considerably less claustrophobic compared to the sloping rooflines found on the coupe and saloon versions of the 3 and 4 series. Open the rear tailgate, and you are greeted by an impressive 500 litres of boot space, or as a bonus, with the rear seats folded flat; the storage space increases to 1,510 litres allowing for the transportation of large boxes or sports equipment. There is even the option to add an electronically retracting tow hook.

Earlier in my article, I mentioned the very exciting M3 Touring that is soon making its way to showrooms in the UK and Europe. I am, naturally, very excited about BMW's decision to build its first-ever M3 wagon but having driven the M340i; I'm left pondering the same thoughts I had when driving the M440i soon after the M4 Competition. Given that the gap in driver tech and performance between the M and non-M models is rapidly closing, I wonder if the M3 touring will offer much more to the average consumer than the M340i will. Both will have turbocharged six-cylinder engines, a ZF8 gearbox, and similar elements of practicality in terms of usage as an everyday car. I sincerely hope I'm proven wrong when the opportunity to drive the M3 touring arises, but it'll have to be considerably more impressive than the M340i, especially given the additional £30,000+ in price.

The M340i touring is a car that deserves to be celebrated, offering the perfect blend of practicality, performance and fun whilst also returning sensible economy figures. The M340i can be used as a practical daily whilst providing all the joy of driving most could ever wish for.

It's a car that the 23-year-old version of myself would have lost my mind over. And one that the 35-year-old version finds equally captivating now.

words and pictures: John Marcar
special thanks to: BMW UK