THE latest edition of BMW's hugely successful 3 Series Touring is now available from British dealers with prices starting from £35,505.

Amazingly, the estate version of BMW's signature sports saloon has been around for more than three decades and more than 1.7 million of them have been sold around the world.

The latest generation mirrors the styling and attributes of the recently revamped 3 Series saloons and comes with latest-generation engines, new chassis technology and increased levels of intelligent safety and convenience equipment.

The estate car bodywork is longer, wider and taller than before and that means that the interior benefits from more front shoulder room, more headroom all round and increased rear seat legroom.

Boot space also increases by five litres and offers 500 litres of space with the rear seats folded, rising to 1,500 litres with the seats down. An electrically operated tailgate comes as standard and is fitted with an opening rear window for loading smaller items.

Six engines - three petrol and three diesel - are available with power outputs ranging from 150 to 374hp and a choice of SE, Sport and M Sport trim levels plus a special launch model, the M Sport Plus Edition, which has been developed exclusively for the British market and brings together a number of items from the M Sport Plus option pack.

At the top of the range, the M340i xDrive Touring -priced from £50,055 - is powered by a new six-cylinder in-line petrol engine with eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission, intelligent all-wheel drive, bespoke chassis technology and M Sport differential.