BMW revealed on Thursday it took a particularly interesting Nürburgring record back in April. The M3 CS Touring, the company's most extreme station wagon, now holds the record for quickest wagon around the Nordschleife, with a time of 7 minutes, 29.49 seconds.
Interestingly, the record-breaking lap wasn't completed by a pro race car driver, but rather one of BMW's development engineers, Jörg Weidinger. The CS Touring beats the previous record, held by the normal M3 Touring, by over five seconds. You can watch the full lap, published by the Nürburgring's YouTube channel, below.
A lap time in the mid-seven-minute range may not sound impressive in a world where supercars can break the seven-minute barrier. But for a station wagon with five seats and a giant cargo area, it's worth celebrating. For some context, the CS Touring is quicker than the Camaro ZL1, the C8 Corvette, and the last-generation BMW M5. The time is less than a second off the Nissan GT-R. For a wagon, that's not bad.
Of course, the M3 CS Touring is about as extreme as wagons get. Under the hood sits a turbocharged straight-six making 543 horsepower, sending power to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic. In addition to the extra power, the CS also makes extensive use of carbon fiber to save weight, including a set of standard carbon buckets.
"From the very beginning, it was clear that the BMW M3 CS Touring would set new standards in dynamics," M CEO Frank van Meel said in a statement. "With a time under 7:30 minutes, this model impressively demonstrates that this vehicle concept perfectly combines racing DNA with everyday usability."
Sadly, prospective buyers in the US won't be able to experience the M3 Touring firsthand, CS-trimmed or otherwise. BMW has repeatedly said it has no plans to bring the car Stateside, which is a damn shame. Should there be a next-gen M3 Touring, the success of the M5 Touring in America will determine if it comes here. So not all hope is lost.
