The sporty-elegant exterior is harmoniously coordinated, conveying aesthetics and dynamics as soon as you set eyes on it. With their horizontal slats, the intricately designed air inlets in the front apron combine with the front lights to emphasise the wide stance on the road. As an option, the double round headlights with integrated corona rings are available in LED technology. But it’s not just the front that’s an eye-catcher. The strikingly shaped rear bumper has two horizontal lines and the rear lights with LED technology are set wide apart, ensuring that the BMW 3 Series Touring retains its unmistakable appearance at night as well. The version with Luxury Line in Platinum Silver metallic and with 18" light alloy wheels is just one of many possibilities to add a personal touch to the BMW 3 Series Touring – each of which underscores the unique sporty character of the vehicle.

As soon as you get into the BMW 3 Series Touring, you immediately notice the driver orientation and outstanding material quality. The interior is spacious, with practical storage possibilities and a functional, uncluttered instrument panel. At the same time, it is dominated by elegance and dynamics. Numerous highlights in Chrome as well as surfaces in Black high-gloss underscore the outstanding quality. In typical BMW style, the cockpit is orientated systematically towards the driver, making it extremely easy to operate. Each and every ergonomic challenge was mastered with the greatest of care and attention. The best example is the 8.8"" Control Display of the optional Navigation system Professional: free-standing above the centre console, it exudes a premium-quality look & feel. The centre console has a holder for two drinks and its roller cover, when closed, can be used as a storage surface. Just two of many details in an overall concept that perfectly combines sportiness with flexibility.

The Panorama glass roof provides mesmerising views and allows a great deal of light into the interior, lending it a particularly spacious and open ambience. If the sunlight is too intense, the electrically adjustable sunshade can be simply and smoothly closed. With slide and lift functions, the Panorama glass roof provides a variety of options for great ventilation. If the glass roof is put into venting position, the sunshade is automatically rolled back to allow the desired airflow. And the integrated wind deflector ensures that turbulence is kept to a minimum when driving with the roof open.

The automatic 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission adapts to suit individual driving styles. It is perfect for everything from comfortable cruising through to a very dynamic drive. In addition to automatic gear selection, it is of course possible to shift gears manually at any time – optionally with the assistance of the Optimum Shift Indicator. The driver can change gears using the shortened gear lever or the gearshift paddles on the Sport leather steering wheel. In SPORT mode, the gear shifts are configured for the best possible performance. Fast engine speed transitions between the gears bolster powerful acceleration. The engine always maintains a speed at which it can access very high power output at any time. The Launch Control function regulates the ideal starting engine speed, allowing maximum acceleration from a standing start. At high speeds, the eight gear reduces the engine speed and fuel consumption. This is also where the newly developed converter clutch comes into play. The 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission works together with the engine to deliver smooth gear shifts and top figures in efficiency and power delivery.

Commanding power delivery and silky smooth running are the hallmarks of the BMW TwinPower Turbo inline 6-cylinder petrol engine from the BMW EfficientDynamics engine range. This powerful 3.0-litre engine combines the Valvetronic fully variable valve control including Double-VANOS, High-Precision Injection and a TwinScroll turbocharger to optimally fill the cylinders. The result: a peak performance of 240 kW (326 hp) and a maximum torque of 450 Nm at 1,380–5,000 rpm. This means that the Turbo petrol engine accelerates the BMW 340i Touring from 0 to 100 km/h in a breathtaking 5.1 s, reaching a top speed of 250 km/h. Thanks to various intelligent technological innovations, its combined fuel consumption rate is just 7.0 to 6.8 litres per 100 km, with CO2 emissions of only 164 to 158 g/km. A drive train destined to delight every driver: optimally efficient delivering a high-performance across a wide rev spectrum along with a direct response even at low engine speeds – a typical BMW engine in other words.

The Driving Experience Control lets the driver choose between the standard engine and transmission settings of COMFORT mode, the more efficient ECO PRO mode, the dynamic SPORT mode, or the SPORT+ mode, which pushes dynamic driving to the limits. ECO PRO mode adjusts the characteristics of the Steptronic transmission (if present) and the heating/air conditioning settings to make the drive as fuel-efficient as possible. It reduces fuel consumption by up to 20 percent. Further fuel savings potential is possible with the coasting function and ECO PRO Route, which suggests an efficiency-optimised route that takes into account the volume of traffic, as well as individual driving styles and local conditions in order to suggest a route that optimises efficiency and thereby reduces fuel consumption. The "coasting" function allows the vehicle to coast along the road at up to 160 km/h without additional power input when the driver takes his or her foot from the gas without braking. COMFORT mode guarantees an extremely comfortable driving experience by suitably adjusting the settings of the suspension components. In the SPORT and SPORT+ modes, all drive and suspension settings are adjusted for more dynamic driving. The engine is more spontaneously responsive, the gears of the automatic transmission are shifted at higher speeds, the shifting points for the manual transmission are shown later, and on the whole the vehicle reacts much more directly and dynamically.

When someone wants to open the luggage compartment after a shopping spree, they usually have to awkwardly search for the key in their bags while standing in front of the car with their arms full. This becomes unnecessary with the innovative Comfort access system, which – in conjunction with the Automatic tailgate operation – enables contactless opening of the tailgate. A quick, targeted wave of the foot under the rear bumper is all it takes for the tailgate to open via sensor. Sensors installed at different heights in the rear bumper detect people and register the motion of the foot. The tailgate can also be closed automatically in the same manner. This feature therefore makes it considerably easier to operate and load the luggage compartment. The system only allows access after it has identified the corresponding car key.

Whether smartphone, drinks or small luggage items – the BMW 3 Series Touring has plenty of room for your storage requirements. The centre console contains a holder for two drinks, and its roller cover, when closed, can be used as an additional storage surface. The inside of the front doors can accommodate bottles with a volume of up to one litre. The optional Storage compartment package offers even more stowage possibilities. It has a hinged compartment on the driver’s side of the instrument panel, nets on the front-seat backrests as well as two hooks for bags. There is also a storage net and a fastening strap in the luggage compartment. The package also includes a versatile net for the floor of the luggage compartment, a storage tray for the compartment beneath it and a 12V power socket in the rear.

The luggage compartment of the BMW 3 Series Touring is perfectly prepared to tackle any challenge – from light luggage to heavy, bulky items. Even when the rear-seat backrest is upright, 495 litres of space are available. When the backrest is folded down completely, this volume increases to an impressive 1,500 litres. With the standard-feature through-loading system, the rear-seat backrest can be divided in a 40:20:40 ratio, enabling the seats and luggage compartment to be modified to suit your requirements. The middle seating segment and the segment on the same side as the front-seat passenger can be folded down individually. The seating segment on the driver’s side is folded down together with the middle segment. In this way, the BMW 3 Series Touring can be loaded and unloaded with outstanding flexibility. Two passengers can sit in the rear while, at the same time, long objects (e.g. ski and snowboard bags) can also be transported. The BMW 3 Series Touring is also the only vehicle in its segment with a rear windscreen that opens separately, which makes loading a whole lot easier.