BMW 5 Series Touring opens with the first-ever electric i5 Touring
BMW’s baited us with teasers about the M5 Touring for a few months now, switching up the reveal by showing us the standard 5 Series Touring first. This fifth generation of the midsize luxury wagon builds off the array of 5ers introduced not long ago, bringing gas-powered, diesel-powered, and plug-in hybrid powertrains to the lowboy family hauler, as well as the first-ever battery-electric powertrain. The wagons are what you’d expect from the sedan given a stretched rear end, more demonstration of BMW’s developing a concept and sticking to it across powertrains and body styles. So, if you like the new 5, there’s no reason not to like this. And if you like long, straight lines and chiseled edges, you’re going to love this.
Size is up by a few inches in all directions over the last wagon, the new version being 3.8 inches longer, 1.3 inches wider, and nearly an inch higher, putting dimensions at 199 inches long, 74.8 inches wide, and 59.6 inches high. The wheelbase is stretched just about an inch as well, but BMW says there’s “noticeably more leg, shoulder and elbow room, especially in rear.” The load space swallows 20.1 cubic feet with the second-row seats up, 60 cubic feet with the second-row down, a little more than the Audi A6 Avant, a little less than the Mercedes E-Class Estate. A powered tailgate opens on a larger load bay opening, and the 40:20:40 split rear seats can be lowered remotely with controls in the luggage area. A storage cubby beneath the cargo floor holds the partition net, luggage compartment cover and charging cable for the all-electric and plug-in hybrid models, so owners will want to charge up and retrieve any necessary items before they load up.
Electric powertrains start with the i5 eDrive40 and the i5 M60 xDrive, both using the same 81.2-kWh pack as found in the sedan. The former trim comes with a single motor on the rear axle making 335 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, 22 more pound-feet than in normal driving thanks to a temporary boost function using Launch Control or Sport Boost. The story’s similar with the M60, that one pairing a motor on each axle producing a combined 593 hp and 605 lb-ft, 19 more pound-feet available in boost modes. The rear-driver on standard 18-inch wheels is rated to go 348 miles on Europe’s WLTP cycle, the M60 on standard 19-inch wheels is estimated at 314 miles. Wheels up to 21 inches will be offered, larger rims marginally shrinking the range.
Fuel-sipping models start with the diesel-powered 520d and its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder 48-volt mild hybrid with 195 hp and 295 lb-ft. Above that, the gas-powered 530e also fits a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, but this one’s a PHEV; help from the electric motor takes combined output to 295 hp and provides a range of 60 WLTP miles as a rear-driver, 55 miles with all-wheel drive. It will be available come summer. The 540d goes back to oil burning with a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 mild hybrid that makes 295 hp. BMW promises two more PHEV trims to come after launch.
The driving space is everything we’ve seen on the other flavors of 5, like the Curved Display, BMW Operating System 8.5, and XXX. The wagon, though, comes standard with new sports seats and with a flatter bottom on the steering wheel. Treatments run from full vegan to two-tone BMW Individual Merino leather.
The i5 Touring launches in Europe in May, more details will arrive before then, and perhaps that M5 Touring, too. At this point, we have the slimmest of hopes the M5 Touring will make it to the U.S. These other standard flavors? That’s gonna be a “no” from BMW, dawg.
