Why there will be another BMW M5 Touring
There is no touring variant of the previous and current generation BMW M5. But it will come again. According to the Dutch BMW M boss Frank van Meel, the demand for station wagons is increasing worldwide. The motorsport department also wants to benefit from this.
BMW M never liked station wagons. That’s in contrast to Audi RS and Mercedes-AMG, which actually sell sporty stations rather than sedans. However, BMW seems to have changed its mind. The current generation of the BMW M3 is available as a Touring and don’t be surprised if the M5 comes with a large cargo box in the near future.
BMW dealers and customers are asking more often about touring models
Frank van Meel spoke to journalists during the BMW M Festival at the South African circuit of Kyalami. “We’re listening to our dealers and our customers,” he said, according to Carbuzz.com, “and they’re increasingly asking about Touring models. So let’s take that into account.” Station wagons aren’t popular all over the world. You rarely see them in America and Asia. In Europe, you see them very much.
New BMW M5 Touring soon on the Nordschleife?
Van Meel says with a smile about a possible BMW M5 Touring as a counterpart to the Audi RS 6 Avant and Mercedes-AMG E 63 T-model: “We’ll see. keep your eyes open If you see a fast 5 Series Touring passing on the Nordschleife, we’ll do it.” The Dutchman didn’t want to say much about the next generation of the M5, but between the lines one could read that the car will be powered by the BMW XM.
Hybrid system with 748 hp and 1000 Nm of the BMW XM
The controversially styled SUV has a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 and a hybrid system. There are two drive variants. The weakest has 653 hp and 800 Nm. The BMW XM Label Red even has 748 hp and 1000 Nm available. BMW expects the new M5 in 2024. If there’s a Touring, it’ll be even longer.
Twice before the BMW M5 Touring, with in-line six-cylinder and V10
BMW has already launched an M5 Touring twice: in 1992 and 2007. The first was based on the M5 E34 and had a naturally aspirated six-cylinder engine with 340 hp and 400 Nm. The model is extremely rare. BMW M only built 891 units in four. The 2007 M5 Touring is almost as rare, with only 1025 made. It is powered by BMW’s famous S85 V10 with 507 hp.