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BMW hints its 3 Series Touring may keep the separate tailgate window
BMW has not ruled out keeping the independently opening rear window on its electric i3 Touring, despite the feature disappearing from other estates in its range.
By George Kensington · 3 min read
BMW has left open the possibility that its upcoming electric i3 Touring will keep a feature that is quietly disappearing from the brand's estate models: an independently opening rear window. The hint came from Mike Reichelt, head of the Neue Klasse programme, who was asked about the subject in an interview with Auto Express magazine. Rather than ruling the idea out, he smiled and nodded before offering a cryptic «We will see».
That is far from an official confirmation, but it is a notable shift in tone for a feature that enthusiasts had begun to write off. Recent spy shots of prototypes have not shown the familiar release button below the base of the rear wiper, which had raised concerns that BMW might drop it. The 5 Series Touring has already lost the feature, which the company had kept for decades, and the X5 has also given up its split tailgate, with the X7 reportedly set to follow. Against that backdrop, the vague message from Munich has been received as a surprise.
BMW previously explained the removal from the 5 Series Touring on aerodynamic grounds, though cost may also have played a part, since an additional opening mechanism adds complexity and manufacturing expense. That makes its survival on the smaller 3 Series Touring less certain if the company is looking to control costs. The feature would also be unlikely to return on the 5 Series Touring, whose G61 and G99 models are due for a Life Cycle Impulse update in 2027.
There are reasons for caution. Prototypes seen so far have shown no visible button or release mechanism, although BMW could have placed it somewhere less conspicuous. Early test vehicles may simply not yet include the feature, with closer-to-production cars potentially gaining it later in development. Until more is seen, the hint should be treated with scepticism rather than as a commitment.
The 3 Series Touring has a long history with the feature. The E46 generation introduced it in 1999, while the 5 Series Touring was the first to offer it, with the E34 wagon doing so in 1991. Keeping it on the 3 Series would therefore preserve a tradition that dates back more than two decades.
BMW plans to launch the i3 Touring in 2027 and build it in Munich. The company could follow it with a combustion-powered 3 Series counterpart, reportedly known as the G51, from the Dingolfing plant in 2028. For now, BMW has only confirmed the electric model, so whether the separate rear window survives across the range remains open.
Source: bmwblog.com
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