BMW presented the first Touring models in the 3 Series at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1987. The move away from the image of the "estate car" ("Kombi") as a thoroughbred utility vehicle towards that of a model for purchasers geared to sport and leisure enabled the Touring version to achieve great success. The first version with a four-cylinder engine was presented in 1989 with the BMW 318i Touring.