“If you build it, they will come.”
That disembodied voice from the cornfield was talking to Kevin Costner about the 1918 Chicago White Sox, but perhaps somewhere in a field of dreams in Southern Germany, it’s also making the case to wayward car executives. For, despite all apparent logic, Audi decided to finally bring to the United States its RS 6 Avant – a wagon. There was much rejoicing amongst car enthusiasts, and people must actually be buying the thing, because BMW has decided that it must not be so nuts after all and is answering the call. Take that Timothy Busfield (that’s the last “Field of Dreams” reference, I promise).
The 2025 BMW M5 Touring will indeed be the first M5 wagon to be sold in the United States fresh from the factory, as opposed to 30 years later on Bring a Trailer. It is not the first M5 Touring, however. The second, E34 generation (1992) and fourth, E61 generation (2007) also got official long-roof versions.
Broadly speaking, this is just another body style of the 2025 BMW M5 that was revealed back in June. That means it has the same plug-in hybrid powertrain that pump out a total of 717 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. That would be 96 and 111 more, respectively, than the RS 6 Avant. The AMG E 63 S Wagon, which we sure hope will be replaced by its own next-generation, is down 114 hp and 111 lb-ft.
The new M5’s 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 alone produces 557 hp and 553 lb-ft, while the electric motor embedded within the eight-speed automatic pumps out 194 hp and 207 lb-ft. Not surprisingly given that output, all-wheel drive is standard. The 0-60 time is stated as 3.5 seconds, which is a tenth slower than the sedan.
The rather enormous 14.8 kilowatt-hour battery, which is located in the underbody, provides 25 miles of electric range, though BMW did not indicate which testing cycle that was for. Either way, it’s far superior than the token amount Mercedes-AMG provides with its various E Performance plug-ins.
Not surprisingly, the rest of the dynamic package is largely carried over from sedan to wagon, including the 50:50 weight distribution. One exception is the model-specific underfloor bracing elements, including a cross-bar and a shear panel, plus further stiffening elements to counter that big-ol luggage compartment.
Which brings us to, literally, the biggest difference between M5 and M5 Touring. BMW says that the cargo area measures 17.7 cubic-feet, but that’s quite obviously a measurement that stops at the rear seatbacks versus the more typical floor-to-ceiling method. As such, you can’t really compare that cargo number to the RS 6 Avant’s 30 cubic-foot figure that is a floor-to-ceiling number (By the way, you can fit this much stuff in the back of the RS 6 Avant). Total capacity with the back seat lowered is 57.6 cubic-feet, which is comparable to other wagons. For reference, the BMW X5 M has a maximum of 72.3 cubic-feet, though much of that difference is assuredly due to the body’s taller height.
Per BMW tradition, the 40:20:40-split-folding rear seatback has a pass-through in the middle 20 section for transporting larger items. There’s also a power, handsfree liftgate.
The press release wasn’t entirely clear about feature content differences between sedan and wagon, but one area concerns the roof. You can order a carbon fiber roof for the sedan but not the wagon. You can get Sky Lounge Panoramic Roof on either car. Apparently, it “functions as a structural module and extends in a single section from just behind the windscreen far to the rear of the vehicle.” It doesn’t open but there’s mercifully a power roller blind.
The 2025 BMW M5 Touring will go on sale later this year and will be built alongside the sedan in Dingolfing, Germany. Pricing will start at $122,675, including destination. That’s actually about $4,000 less than the RS 6 Avant, which isn’t loaded at that price.
As exciting as it is to finally get an M5 Touring in the United States, we’ll be interesting to see if BMW takes the plunge with the intriguing BMW i5 Touring – aka its all-electric sibling. Some might say it wouldn’t make sense to bring that here, then again …
