Despite a huge amount of demand, BMW has never built an M3 Tour*ing – until now. OK, so the new 335i Touring doesn’t officially wear the fabled M badge, but in terms of performance, it packs an M3-sized punch.

Boasting the same twin-turbo 3.0-litre straight-six as the two-door 335i tested in Issue 929, the load-lugger will cover the 0-60mph sprint in less than six seconds and return 28.8mpg on the combined cycle, too.

But headline figures fail to tell the whole story. The powerplant has 400Nm of torque on tap from only 1,300rpm, and that gives this lifestyle estate awesome acceleration anywhere in the rev range. There’s no need to change down – simply plant your foot and hang on.

All the attributes that have made the standard 3-Series Touring our class favourite remain intact. The 460-litre boot is well thought out and comparatively spacious, the seats fold easily, the driving position is excellent and all the controls work smoothly.

The ride on the 18-inch wheels is firm, but if you want to save money and take a more gentle approach, go for the 335i SE at £2,810 less.