BMW M5 Touring hits 717 hp

The BMW M5 Touring is a station wagon, but not in the old sensible-shoes sense. It is BMW’s 717-hp plug-in-hybrid super wagon, and it matters because the company finally decided the U.S. gets one too. That sounds small, but for BMW fans it closes a very old gap — Europe got fast M wagons, America mostly got told no. Now the M5 Touring lands here as the first M5 wagon officially sold in the U.S., with the same hybrid V8 punch as the latest M5 sedan. ### What is this thing, exactly? It’s the long-roof version of the new M5 — BMW’s big executive performance car — and it keeps the full-fat M drivetrain instead of dialing things back for practicality. Underneath is a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 and an electric motor working together through an 8-speed automatic and BMW’s M xDrive all-wheel-drive system. In other words, this is not a “sporty wagon.” It’s the M5, just with a hatch and a much more useful rear end. (press.bmwgroup.com) ### Why is 717 hp the headline? Because that number tells you BMW didn’t build a compromise car. The U.S.-market M5 Touring makes 717 hp and 738 lb-ft, which puts it deep into supercar-adjacent territory for straight-line pace. BMW says 0-60 mph takes 3.5 seconds, and with the optional M Driver’s Package the top speed rises to 190 mph. Those are absurd numbers for something that can also haul luggage, a stroller, or a week’s worth of Costco damage. (press.bmwgroup.com) ### Why make it a plug-in hybrid? Partly for emissions and partly for torque — but mostly because BMW wanted the latest M5 to hit harder everywhere. The electric motor fills in response at low speeds, and the battery also gives the car a short electric-only range of about 25 miles in U.S. spec. That means the same car can creep around quietly on errands, then turn into a 700-plus-hp missile when the road opens up. (press.bmwgroup.com) The catch is weight — hybrid hardware adds a lot of mass, and that has become the main debate around this generation of M5. ### So is it actually practical? Yes — and that’s the whole point of the Touring badge. BMW says the cargo area expands to as much as 57.6 cubic feet, which is the number that makes the car click. A sedan M5 is already a ridiculous all-rounder. A wagon M5 is the same idea pushed further — more stuff, more flexibility, fewer excuses to own something dull. That’s why enthusiasts obsess over fast wagons in the first place. (press.bmwgroup.com) ### Why does the U.S. launch matter so much? Because BMW has sold M5 Tourings before, just not here. The company notes that the M5 Touring goes back to 1992, but American buyers sat out those earlier generations. This one breaks that pattern. In a market dominated by SUVs, BMW is effectively betting that a small but very motivated group of buyers still wants a low, fast, expensive wagon instead of yet another high-riding performance crossover. (press.bmwgroup.com) ### How expensive is the privilege? The original U.S. launch price was $121,500 plus destination, and BMW’s current U.S. site shows a configured 2027 M5 Touring at $125,300. That tells you where this car lives — firmly in halo-car territory, not bargain sleeper territory. You buy it because you want the weird, wonderful overlap of family-car usefulness and M-car excess. (press.bmwgroup.com) ### Who is this really for? Basically, the buyer who wants one car to do everything and refuses to settle for an SUV. The M5 Touring is for people who like the idea of a wagon precisely because it feels a little rebellious now — lower, rarer, and more interesting than the default luxury-performance crossover. BMW is selling capability, but it’s also selling taste. (press.bmwgroup.com) ### Bottom line The M5 Touring matters because BMW finally brought the forbidden fruit over here — and didn’t water it down. It’s excessive, heavy, expensive, and a little irrational. But that’s also why people love it. A 717-hp wagon is not the sensible answer. It’s the fun one. (press.bmwgroup.com)