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 United States. Only hardcore enthusiasts remember the long-roof E34, one of the last hand-built M cars. The exceptionally rare performance wagon from the early 1990s wasn’t available in America either. All is forgiven now that the G99 is officially here, complete with a US visa.
Fresh images show the new M5 Touring flaunting a daring specification. The Audi RS6 Avant rival is finished in Isle of Man Green with a Kyalami Orange/Black interior. If you’re wondering about the wheels, it’s the two-tone 951 M Style set offered alternatively with an all-black finish as well. Available at an additional cost, the carbon fiber side mirror caps 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 has lent its plug-in hybrid V8 powertrain to the super wagon but in a different state of tune. While the large SUV looks controversial, to say the least, the G99 has a far less striking appearance. It’s highly customizable, with up to 150 Individual colors and M Performance Parts.
As is the case with the smaller M3 Touring, there is no carbon fiber roof option. Similarly, BMW isn’t selling the new M5 wagon with carbon bucket seats. You can’t have them on the G90 M5 Sedan either, but that’s probably 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-run special edition, maybe a CS?
Another feature the speedy wagon is missing is noticeable at the back. At the base of the wiper, there’s no button. On the old M5 Touring models, you could open the glass independently of the tailgate. That’s gone from the G99 as well as the regular 5 Series/i5 Touring G61. Cost cutting maybe? The official answer from BMW is the rear glass opening feature was deleted for better aerodynamics. We can’t argue with an official statement, especially since we’re not engineers, so we’ll leave it at that.
