Telling someone they can’t have something is a great way to make them want it. Take the station wagon, for example. This once popular model for family transportation has all but disappeared from new car showrooms in North America, and as a result the station wagon has become an absolute cult object. At the top of the list are the Superwagons, factory-tuned models with enormous power output, one of which achieved legendary status in particular because BMW decided never to import the M5 Touring across the Atlantic. Until now.

BMW first produced a touring or estate version of the M5 in 1992 with the second generation (better known as the E34) 5 Series. When I was growing up in the UK, these models were not available, as they were in the US, which quickly gave the five-door M5 an extra level of prestige that the four-door lacked, despite playing a starring role in Ronin.

To be honest, the E34 M5 Touring looked very cool, but it wasn’t the biggest sales success.

The same goes for the next M5 Touring, which was launched in 2007 with the E61 5-series generation and a V10 under the hood. Only about 5 percent of E61 M5s were five-door station wagons, and US customers once again had no chance of buying one. For the American M5 Touring devotee, the answer seemed to be “wait until the 25-year rule comes into effect,” meaning that E34 M5 Tourings have been able to be imported for a number of years.

The M5 Touring skipped a generation, but BMW decided to bring it back for the latest version of its mid-size continental heavy hitter. And while for a while it looked like the Touring would once again be available only in Europe, BMW’s North American arm has decided the market is now ready for its most practical of high-performance machines.

People say it’s too hard

The G60-generation M5 (or G61 for the Touring) is a somewhat controversial car, however. It uses the same plug-in hybrid powertrain as the XM SUV and produces 717 hp (535 kW) and 738 lb-ft (1,000 Nm) – more than twice the power and torque of the E34 M5.

While PHEV sports cars offer obvious advantages in terms of both power (electric motors deliver their torque instantly) and efficiency (since they can run on electric motors alone at low speeds), there is a slight disadvantage in terms of weight. By adding a 14.8 kWh (usable) lithium-ion battery and the 194 hp (145 kW) electric motor, the M5 Touring’s curb weight has increased to 5,530 lbs (2,508 kg).

That’s 1,600 pounds more than the first M5 Touring, and that mass drove enthusiasts crazy (even though they were amazed by the car’s capabilities on almost every test drive and first drive). And I’m pretty sure the 1992 M5 Touring didn’t have heated or cooled seats, nor an infotainment system that could play videos or games. And it definitely didn’t have a torque-vectoring rear differential.

BMW unveiled the U.S. version of the M5 Touring on Thursday as part of Monterey Car Week and also announced pricing. If you want a car that can carry up to 1,632 liters (57.6 cubic feet) and accelerate to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, you must be prepared to pay BMW at least $122,675.