It’s been nearly 15 years since BMW last sold an M5 Touring. The E61, with its naturally aspirated V10 engine, is a distant memory, especially since it wasn’t sold in the US. Only diehard enthusiasts remember the long-roof E34, one of the last hand-built M cars. The ultra-rare high-performance station wagon from the early 1990s was also unavailable in America. Now that the G99 is officially here, all is forgiven, including the US visa.
New images show the new M5 Touring with a daring specification. The competitor to the Audi RS6 Avant is painted in Isle of Man Green and has an interior in Kyalami Orange/Black. In case you’re wondering about the wheels: They are the two-tone 951 M Style set, which is also offered with an all-black finish. The carbon fiber side mirror caps are available for an additional charge to complete the special look.
The M5 Touring is a belated alternative to the large M SUVs that BMW has been selling for years. Speaking of which, the XM borrows its plug-in hybrid V8 engine from the super station wagon, albeit in a different setup. While the large SUV looks controversial, to say the least, the G99 has a far less conspicuous appearance. It is highly customizable with up to 150 individual colors and M Performance Parts.
As with the smaller M3 Touring, there is no option for a carbon fiber roof. Likewise, BMW is not selling the new M5 wagon with carbon fiber bucket seats. They aren’t available on the G90 M5 sedan either, but that’s likely only temporary. It’s not hard to imagine the German luxury brand offering this upgrade in the future. Either as a standalone option or reserved for a limited special edition, perhaps a CS?
Another feature missing from the fast wagon is noticeable at the rear. There is no button at the base of the windshield wiper. On the old M5 Touring models, you could open the window independently of the tailgate. This is no longer the case on the G99, nor on the regular 5 Series/i5 Touring G61. Cost savings perhaps? BMW’s official answer is that the rear window opening function was omitted in favor of better aerodynamics. We can’t object to an official statement, especially since we’re not engineers, so we’ll leave it at that.
BMW M5 Touring (T) G99 M5 (T) M5 Touring
