Wild BMW M5 wagon confirmed, and it’s a PHEV

BMW has confirmed the mighty M5 Touring will return to Australia from Q1 next year, some 15 years after the V10-powered E61 M5 wagon departed, marking the most powerful Bavarian family hauler to date.

When the incoming G-90 M5 was announced earlier this year, BMW Australia told GoAuto the wagon model was high on its wish list, citing the incredible success of the M3 Touring.

“Initial volume forecast was about 300 units over M3 Touring’s life cycle and we pretty much did that in the first year, something that prompted the request for more stock,” said BMW Australia product planning chief Brendan Michel at the time.

“It is a bit of a wagon renaissance.”

While the all-electric i5 M60 xDrive Touring was also introduced Down Under recently, the hybrid M5 option retains a roaring V8 and far more aggressive styling for those who wish to make a statement.

Or those who wish to get the kids to their soccer game with more time to spare…

The new M5 Touring is powered by the same M Hybrid powertrain as the sedan version (also shared with the BMW XM), consisting of a 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 and transmission-integrated electric motor setup derived from BMW’s M Hybrid V8 endurance racer.

This hybrid system, aimed more at boosting power than outright efficiency, offers total outputs of 535kW/1000Nm, which when combined with BMW’s eight-speed transmission and xDrive all-wheel drive system is good for a 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.6 seconds – just 0.1 seconds slower than the sedan variant.

For those brave enough, a top speed of 305km/h is possible.

By contrast, the smaller M3 Touring produces a (significantly) lesser 390kW/650Nm but will dispatch the sprint to triple digits in an identical 3.6 seconds – also 0.1 seconds slower than its sedan counterpart. 

What the M5 Touring offers, though, is an intelligent plug-in hybrid system that features a 145kW/280Nm electric motor integrated within the eight-speed transmission and 18.6kWh battery under the floor.

This allows an electric-only driving range of 61km and it will top-out at 140km/h, well beyond the legal limit here.

A new ‘boost’ mode, which is enabled by pulling the left gearshift paddle, will also deliver what BMW calls “maximum thrust” for rapid bursts of acceleration between 30km/h and 150km/h.

The chassis has been re-tuned to squeeze maximum performance out of the Touring, with double-wishbone front and five-link rear adaptive M suspension, active variable steering and rear wheel steering, M compound braking system, and track-focused Dynamic Plus driving mode. 

The M5 Touring isn’t a dainty beast, measuring up at 5096mm long and 1970mm wide, some 36mm longer and 70mm wider than the all-electric i5 M60 xDrive Touring it slots in ahead of as the flagship 5 Series offering.

Of course, with the bulging dimensions comes serious luggage capacity, with up to 1630 litres available.

BMW says the new M5 Touring ‘bahnstormer will be available in Australia from Q1, 2025.

It is priced from $263,900 plus on-road costs, and before any of those tempting extras are ticked at the dealership.