- BMW has teased the next-generation M5, specifically the wagon model that’s called the M5 Touring.
- We expect the M5 to have the same plug-in-hybrid V-8 powertrain as the XM, which produces up to 738 hp in the Label Red version.
- The most exciting news is that BMW will bring the wagon version to the U.S.
UPDATE 4/4/24: BMW officially confirmed that the 2025 BMW M5 Touring is coming to the U.S., marking the first time that BMW has ever sold a wagon version of the high-performance model in the States. It will have a hybrid powertrain and promises more cargo space than the upcoming seventh-generation M5 sedan. Production will begin in the fourth quarter of this year, so look forward to hearing more information soon.
A new generation of the BMW M5 is enticing enough on its own, but news of an M5 wagon is guaranteed to send car enthusiasts into a tizzy. These new teaser photos show the upcoming M5 Touring for the first time, and we’re particularly intrigued given the rumor that the longroof M5 could come to the U.S.
From what we can see in these photos of the camouflaged prototype, the new M5 takes the latest G60-generation 5-series’ bodywork and adds flared fenders and an aggressive-looking rear bumper with quad exhaust tips. It appears to have a staggered wheel and tire setup with wider Michelin Pilot Sport 5 rubber in the rear.
BMW has confirmed that the M5 will come with a hybrid powertrain, and we’re expecting it to have a similar setup as the BMW XM performance SUV. That model combines a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 engine with electric motors for 738 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque in the top Label Red configuration. We’re hearing that the M5 will only be offered with this high-output setup, rather than the 644-hp tune in the “base” XM. It’s also slated to add rear-wheel steering, optional 22-inch wheels, and a wide variety of drive modes that control everything from the steering to the regenerative braking levels.
Only two generations of the M5 so far have even offered a Touring variant, the E34 and the V-10–powered E60/E61, and neither was sold in the U.S. But it wouldn’t be unprecedented for BMW to bring it here given that Audi sells the RS6 Avant here and Mercedes has offered the AMG E63 wagon on our shores for some time now.
We’re hoping to hear something soon about the new M5 sedan, as the 2024 5-series is already out, but more news on the wagon version will likely have to wait. BMW says it won’t be released until next year, but we’re eagerly awaiting its arrival and hope to hear further confirmation that it will be sold in America at some point in the near future.
This story was originally published June 26, 2023.
Despite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.