BMW has confirmed the mighty M5 Touring will return to Australia from Q1 subsequent yr, some 15 years after the V10-powered E61 M5 wagon departed, marking essentially the most highly effective Bavarian household hauler thus far.
When the incoming G-90 M5 was introduced earlier this yr, BMW Australia advised GoAuto the wagon mannequin was excessive on its want checklist, citing the unimaginable success of the M3 Touring.
“Preliminary quantity forecast was about 300 items over M3 Touring’s life cycle and we just about did that within the first yr, one thing that prompted the request for extra inventory,” stated BMW Australia product planning chief Brendan Michel on the time.
“It’s a little bit of a wagon renaissance.”
Whereas the all-electric i5 M60 xDrive Touring was additionally launched Down Underneath not too long ago, the hybrid M5 possibility retains a roaring V8 and much more aggressive styling for many who want to make a press release.
Or those that want to get the youngsters to their soccer sport with extra time to spare…
The brand new M5 Touring is powered by the identical M Hybrid powertrain because the sedan model (additionally shared with the BMW XM), consisting of a 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 and transmission-integrated electrical motor setup derived from BMW’s M Hybrid V8 endurance racer.
This hybrid system, aimed extra at boosting energy than outright effectivity, gives complete outputs of 535kW/1000Nm, which when mixed with BMW’s eight-speed transmission and xDrive all-wheel drive system is sweet for a 0-100km/h dash time of three.6 seconds – simply 0.1 seconds slower than the sedan variant.
For these courageous sufficient, a prime velocity of 305km/h is feasible.
In contrast, the smaller M3 Touring produces a (considerably) lesser 390kW/650Nm however will dispatch the dash to triple digits in an equivalent 3.6 seconds – additionally 0.1 seconds slower than its sedan counterpart.
What the M5 Touring gives, although, is an clever plug-in hybrid system that encompasses a 145kW/280Nm electrical motor built-in throughout the eight-speed transmission and 18.6kWh battery underneath the ground.
This permits an electric-only driving vary of 61km and it’ll top-out at 140km/h, properly past the authorized restrict right here.
A brand new ‘enhance’ mode, which is enabled by pulling the left gearshift paddle, will even ship what BMW calls “most thrust” for speedy bursts of acceleration between 30km/h and 150km/h.
The chassis has been re-tuned to squeeze most efficiency out of the Touring, with double-wishbone entrance and five-link rear adaptive M suspension, lively variable steering and rear wheel steering, M compound braking system, and track-focused Dynamic Plus driving mode.
The M5 Touring isn’t a dainty beast, measuring up at 5096mm lengthy and 1970mm broad, some 36mm longer and 70mm wider than the all-electric i5 M60 xDrive Touring it slots in forward of because the flagship 5 Sequence providing.
After all, with the bulging dimensions comes severe baggage capability, with as much as 1630 litres obtainable.
BMW says the brand new M5 Touring ‘bahnstormer shall be obtainable in Australia from Q1, 2025.
It’s priced from $263,900 plus on-road prices, and earlier than any of these tempting extras are ticked on the dealership.
