BMW M5 Touring

GENEVA — BMW's stand at the annual spring show here will be anchored by the new M5 Touring, a station-wagon companion to the M5 sedan.

The M5 wagon — which BMW's press department refers to as "a sports car with roof racks" — shares the sedan's magnificent 5.0-liter V10 which, in European trim, produces 507 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. The transmission is BMW's controversial seven-speed Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG), which has probably irked more enthusiasts than any other aspect of the vaunted M-series cars.

This is the first BMW wagon to offer a 10-cylinder engine, and probably the quickest BMW wagon ever, with the ability to sprint from zero to 60 mph in less than 4.8 seconds. But the M5 Touring won't kill you at the fuel pump; highway fuel economy is 22 mpg.

Of course, families who opt for this performance-oriented grocery getter will appreciate the subtle differences between the M5 and the standard 5 Series wagon: a front airdam, side sills, air intakes in the side panels and the rear airdam, plus four round exhaust pipes. In addition, the M5 Touring gets the usual upgrades to suspension, steering and brakes.

What the five-passenger wagon offers over its sedan counterpart is an ample cargo bay, with 57.8 cubic feet of storage space. An optional cargo-storage package includes dividers for the floor, folding partition panels, lashing belts in the side panels and multifunction supports.

Features include leather upholstery, dynamic stability control, air suspension, electronic damper control, variable differential lock, multifunction steering wheel, two-piece panoramic roof and BMW's iDrive controller.

Among the options are heated rear seats, power tailgate, head-up display and navigation system.

© Source: article on insideline
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