BMW M5 Touring bows in North America & UK

BMW has unveiled its third M5 wagon so far. It uses the same powertrain as the sedan but weighs 63 kg (139 lbs) more at 2,508 kg (5,530 lbs). Orders are already being processed in the United States, Canada and the UK, with the shipments scheduled to start near the end of the year.

The new M5 Touring uses a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 to send 585 PS (577 hp / 430 kW) and 750 Nm (560 lb-ft) of torque to the wheels. An electric motor built into an eight-speed automatic transmission adds 197 PS (194 hp / 145 kW) of its own. The combined output comes to 727 PS (717 hp / 535 kW) and 1,000 Nm (738 lb-ft).

Equipped like this, the Bavarian family hauler reaches 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.6 seconds, one-tenth of a second slower than its sedan-shaped sibling does. The default speed limit sits at 250 km/h (155 mph), but you can pay to have it lifted to 305 km/h (189.5 mph).

Drivers are free to switch to all-electric mode and back, as long as they are prepared to stay under 140 km/h (87 mph) and don’t need more than 67 km (41 miles) of WLTP-rated range. The battery stores 18.6 kilowatt-hours of juice.

Activating rear-wheel drive mode temporarily uncouples the front axle. Drivers who feel like honing their drift skills in the new M5 wagon may even disengage all stability aids.

Trim-wise, the cheapest version you can get comes with a sports-grade rear differential, adaptive suspension, M brakes, and active steering. 20-inch wheels at the front and 21-inch ones at the back are included, while carbon-ceramic brakes are a paid option.

Compared to the previous generation, the new M5 estate is 75 mm (roughly 3 inches) wider at the front and 48 mm (1.9 inches) wider at the back. The five-seat version has 500 liters (17.66 cubic feet) of trunk space, but you can get 1,630 liters (57.56 cu. ft.) just by folding down the rear seats. The tailgate is power-assisted, and you can haul trailers weighing up to 2,000 kg (4,409 lbs).

Other than that, the trim options and materials are the same as the sedan, with one exception: you can order a panoramic sunroof with a hatch in the base trim.