A very long time ago, BMW conjured up a vehicle that, for lack of a better way to explain, is the stuff of a car enthusiast’s wet dreams. They took the heart and soul of the E46 M3, arguably one of the greatest sportscars to have ever existed, and made it a wagon. It was, however, a one-off concept that never reached the production line, but its existence continues to tantalize Bimmer boys, new and old.

With that said, for the G21 3 Series, BMW have been generous and gave us an M-Wagon from the factory. Codenamed G81, this marks the first ever generation where BMW has produced an M3 Touring, and that too, with the Competition package. But, that’s not the star of show here – we’re here to talk about the M3 CS Touring, which is essentially a souped-up limited run version of the M3 Competition Touring.

As mentioned earlier, the M3 CS Touring is built upon the M3 Competition Touring. That means, it sports the same 3.0L twin-turbo inline-six, M xDrive AWD system, and 8-speed M Steptronic automatic transmission. In CS spec, the engine makes an extra 20 hp, bringing it to 550 hp and 650 Nm of torque. Coupled with a specially designed engine mounting, chassis and suspension optimization, and a new exhaust system specific for the CS, the CS Touring completes 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds. Not bad for a wagon, eh?

Being a CS model also means some weight saving measures. This comes in the form of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) usage across the body, including the bonnet, front splitter, front air intakes, mirror caps and rear diffuser. You also get carbon bucket seats and CFRP interior trim to get that much more heft off the car. All these measures save around 15 kg over the M3 Competition Touring, and this figure can be ever so slightly improved with the optional lightweight front strut brace.

As with every other M car, there’s some signature changes inside and outside the M3 CS Touring. Exclusive aero, exclusive colors, M accents around the interior, Alcantara steering wheel – it’s all here too. BMW’s decision to give this vehicle’s LED headlights the same yellow glow as GT racecars is testament to its track capabilities, but that’s not the end of its talents.

In other words, this is an M car, but it’s a wagon before that – meaning you can have a fun track day with your buddies, and come home with the groceries in tow with up to 1510 litres of space with the rear seats folded down. It also comes with all driver assist features and other creature comforts that come with the standard 3 Series Touring. Plus, a sporty wagon simply hits the spot, be it the concept itself, or the execution.

To put it in a nutshell, the BMW M3 CS Touring is what you buy when you can’t get rid of the speed bug but the missus wants a family car. Sure, the CS is going to be stiffer and harsher to ride, but it’s a better pitch than getting a project track car. You want to tear the canyons with the kids in the back? This will do. You want to drop them off at school? This will do. You get a Sunday track day with the boys? You absolutely know this will do. It was a long time coming, but it’s finally here, the G81 M3 CS Touring.