It took BMW twelve years to bring back the M Touring after discontinuing the M5 E61 in 2010. However, the smaller M3 Touring is not available in North America where you also can't have the Audi RS4 Avant or the Mercedes-AMG C63 Estate. The silver lining is those reports about a US-bound M5 Touring have now evolved past the gossip stage. The M man himself, Frank van Meel, suggests Bavaria is prepping a belated answer to the RS6 and E63 long-roofs.
In an interview with CarBuzz last weekend in South Africa during the M Fest held at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in Johannesburg, BMW M CEO was asked about a possible return of the M5 Touring. Coincidentally, there was a purple E34 standing outside of the building, one of the only 891 units ever made: "We'll see. Keep your eyes open, and if you see something like that [E34 M5 Touring] on the Nürburgring, we're going to do it."
BMW M5 Spy Shots
Frank van Meel said an M Touring for North America would come as a response to more and more requests coming from dealers and customers for a high-performance wagon. The body style itself would be a breath of fresh air considering the current 3 Series and 5 Series are sold exclusively as sedans in the United States: "We listened to our dealers and our customers, and they're coming more and more, asking for a touring. So, we are taking that into consideration."
Codenamed G90, the next M5 Sedan has already been spotted testing at the Nürburgring, so it’s only a matter of time before the more practical body style will arrive at the Green Hell. The wagon is believed to carry the G99 codename and enter production near the end of 2024 or a few months after the sedan. Both will employ a plug-in hybrid V8 adapted from the XM, which in next year's Label Red will deliver a combined output of 738 hp and 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft).
