BMW Hints The 3 Series Touring Might Not Lose Its Signature Trait After All

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The i3 Touring could feature an independently opening rear window after all. If BMW keeps it, the next gas-fueled 3 Series Touring should get it as well.

Between the first-ever i3 Touring and the i5 Touring facelift, BMW isn’t giving up on station wagons in the electric era. The former will bring extra practicality without forcing buyers to move up to an iX3, and it might even retain a clever feature that’s disappearing from the brand’s estates.

The independently opening rear window might not become history after all. That’s despite recent spy shots failing to show the familiar release mechanism, with prototypes missing the button below the base of the rear wiper. Although this has raised concerns that BMW could drop it, wagon enthusiasts still have hope.

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In an interview with Auto Express magazine, Mike Reichelt, head of Neue Klasse, discussed whether the i3 Touring would get an opening rear window. Rather than ruling it out, he smiled and nodded, then offered a cryptic “We will see.” That’s hardly an official confirmation, but it suggests BMW hasn’t necessarily abandoned the idea.

Decontenting Cars Has To Stop

It would be a welcome change of pace after the long-roof 5 Series lost this signature Touring trait, which BMW had retained for decades. With the X5 also losing its split tailgate and the X7 rumored to follow suit, this vague message from Munich comes as a surprise. If you feel the company is decontenting its cars by taking away practical features, being able to access the i3 Touring’s cargo area without opening the entire tailgate would be a pleasant surprise.

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BMW has only confirmed the i3 Touring so far, leaving open the possibility of another 3 Series wagon with combustion engines. If the electric NA1 is followed by a G51 with gasoline and plug-in hybrid drivetrains, it would make sense for BMW to carry over the separate glass opening.

However, we’re still skeptical that the i3 Touring will feature the independently opening rear window, at least based on what we’ve seen so far. We haven’t spotted a button or release mechanism on prototypes, although BMW could have mounted it somewhere less visible. Early test vehicles may also not have the feature yet, with closer-to-production prototypes potentially getting it later in development. Until then, we’d take the encouraging hint with a healthy dose of skepticism.

It’s Already Gone From The 5 Series Touring, And The LCI Won’t Bring It Back

BMW has previously explained that it dropped the independently opening rear window from the 5 Series Touring for aerodynamic reasons. However, one has to wonder whether cost considerations also played a role. After all, adding another opening mechanism inevitably increases complexity and manufacturing costs. If BMW wants to keep expenses under control on the smaller 3 Series Touring, the feature could become another casualty. For the same reason, it’s highly unlikely to return on the 5 Series Touring with the G61’s and G99’s Life Cycle Impulse planned for 2027.

Still, there’s a glimmer of hope that the 3 Series Touring won’t abandon a tradition that dates back to 1999 with the E46. Aficionados will remember that the 5 Series Touring was actually the first to offer the feature, with the E34 wagon introducing it in 1991. Looking ahead, BMW plans to launch the i3 Touring in 2027 and build it in Munich. The company could follow it up with a combustion-powered 3 Series counterpart from the Dingolfing plant, reportedly known as the G51, in 2028.

Source: Auto Express