Over the holiday season, BMW social media teased the masses with photos of a gift wrapped M5 Touring. As the M&Ms would say, “It does exist!” Yes, it exists and it has been confirmed by BMW. They even have a website for it.
Lately, we’ve seen spy shots of camouflaged M5 Tourings across the globe—even on U.S. soil. BMW says, “With the new edition of the BMW M5, there will be a Touring variant of the successful M model for the first time since 2007. The perfect symbiosis of M typical performance, uncompromising long-distance comfort and impressive spaciousness will experience a renaissance in 2024 with the new BMW M5 Touring.”
The next-generation M5 has entered the “practical phase” of its development process, so I expect we’ll be seeing much more of this long-roof M machine in the coming months. BMW says, “The new high-performance model from BMW M is now completing its test drives on public roads, BMW Group proving grounds, and racetracks around the world.”
As reported previously, the incoming M5 will have a hybrid powertrain, likely based on what’s in the XM Label. The new S68 engine is 4.4 liter twin-turbocharged V8 with a hot “V” and 48V hybrid system. BMW confirms, “The M5 Touring will feature a completely newly developed partially electrified drive system. Its M typical performance characteristics as well as the precisely tuned chassis technology refined with innovative systems facilitate driving dynamics and agility at a level unique in this vehicle class. Thus, BMW M GmbH is steadily progressing on its path to electrification.”
While the new M5 Touring wasn’t a present that we could unwrap in 2023, here’s to hoping that the bespoke ///M wrapping paper comes off shortly into 2024. —Mike Bevels
[Photos courtesy of BMW.]
