• BMW unveiled the cool new M5 Touring station wagon at this year’s Monterey Car Week.

• Based on the M5 sedan, the Touring features 717 horsepower from a plug-in hybrid engine, which BMW says is enough to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds.

• Consider the M5 Touring an even more practical everyday car than the M5 – if its performance isn’t enough to justify the purchase. It’s expected in dealerships in early 2025.

Thanks to the introduction of the 2025 BMW M5 Touring, a station wagon bearing the M5 logo is no longer taboo for car enthusiasts in the USA. This long-roof version of the M5 sports sedan offers significantly more cargo space, but has the same plug-in hybrid drive as the four-door model.

This powertrain produces 717 horsepower and consists of a 577 horsepower twin-turbocharged V8 engine and a 194 horsepower electric motor. All-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission are both standard. The all-wheel drive is rear-biased and can be switched off, keeping the M5 Touring a rear-wheel drive car.

Much has been said about the weight gain of the new-generation M5. It weighs 5,390 pounds, over 1,100 pounds more than the curb weight of the previous-generation sedan. The Touring will be even heavier; BMW quotes an estimated 5,530 pounds. Still, there’s no denying that both of these M cars are going to pack a punch.

BMW estimates that the M5 Touring will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds, just a tenth of a second slower than the M5 sedan. Top speed is limited to 250 km/h in the standard model, but increases to 305 km/h with the optional M Driver’s Package.

We recently had the opportunity to drive a prototype of the M5 Touring in Europe. We were impressed with its performance and less concerned about its curb weight. Its plug-in hybrid powertrain provides a noticeable boost, but also allows fuel-free driving on short trips up to around 25 miles, making it easier to savor the premium octane in the fuel tank when you hit the open pavement.

You’d expect the price to be high for a machine of this kind, and it is: $122,675, a $2,000 premium over the M5 sedan. The M5 Touring’s closest natural competitor is the Audi RS6 Avant, which has a similarly high price and less horsepower.

Additionally, the M5 Touring comes equipped with nearly every luxury item in BMW’s arsenal: Bowers & Wilkins audio, ambient interior lighting, panoramic sunroof, leather upholstery, curved infotainment display with Drive 8.5, head-up display, native navigation, and more. Customization options via BMW’s Individual program are seemingly endless and include a wide range of exterior colors and some special Merino Metallic leather options for the cabin.

Production of the M5 Touring begins later this year, so you can expect it to arrive in U.S. dealerships in early 2025. In the meantime, you can dream with us about a future comparison test of two high-performance station wagons that will pit BMW against Audi.

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