This BMW 5 Series Touring looks a bit confused. On one hand, those bright colors make the front section of the vehicle stand out in traffic. On the other hand, the rear half of the car is camouflaged to make the long-roof 5er fly under the radar. The German luxury brand has yet to unveil the more practical version of the latest 5 Series Sedan but it’s already testing a modified version for police duty.
Internally codenamed “G61,” the new 5 Series Touring will likely be virtually identical to the “G60” Sedan up until the B-pillars. That’s the reason why BMW didn’t even bother to disguise the front half of the vehicle. The extended roof and more expansive greenhouse are “hiding” beneath the black and white camo of this test vehicle. We’re hoping to be wrong, but it looks as though the rear glass won’t open independently of the tailgate anymore. Why? Because there’s no button at the base of the rear wiper. This feature has been a common BMW Touring trait for decades, and we’d be sad to see it go for the sake of cost-cutting. Blame bean counters if it goes away.
As to which version of the luxury wagon we’re dealing with here, our money is on the i5. It’s not the hot M60, nor does it seem to have the M Sport Package. It appears to be the base i5 eDrive40, featuring a single motor and rear-wheel drive. However, BMW has already confirmed its first-ever electric wagon will be offered in M Performance flavor with dual motors, all-wheel drive, and a mighty output of 593 horsepower and 605 pound-feet (820 Newton-meters).
The latest yet-to-be-confirmed intel suggests the 5 Series Touring is coming to the United States but only as the M5. Codenamed “G99,” the high-performance wagon will be the third of its kind after the V10-powered “E61” and the ultra-rare “E34.” Both the M5 Sedan and Touring will rock a plug-in hybrid setup with a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 and an electric motor said to deliver a little over 700 hp.
Beyond the i5 and M5, there will also be regular versions with gasoline, diesel, and plug-in hybrid powertrains with four and six cylinders. Chances are the lineup will echo that of the sedan since BMW is a firm believer in providing the “Power of Choice.” A wider availability of the posh wagon in the US beyond the M5 would be great but we’re not holding our breath.
We’re hearing the V8 will only be found in the M5 since the M550i is sadly not coming back. However, it might be indirectly replaced by an M560e as a sporty plug-in hybrid with an inline-six engine, possibly launching next year in some markets.
The Mercedes E-Class Estate rival is expected to debut in the first months of 2024 but the M5 Touring is slated to appear later in the year.
