The new BMW M5 Touring is the super estate we’ve waited 14 years for

In 2022, BMW answered our calls for a family-focused sports saloon with the M3 Touring. Now, it’s reviving the M5 Touring nameplate 14 years since the E61 went off sale, with this latest incarnation meeting Audi’s RS6 head on with a 717bhp hybrid powertrain, wide-arch bodywork and BMW M’s latest chassis technology. Oh, and a maximum carrying capacity of 1630 litres.

We’ve already driven the new M5 Touring in prototype form, and its speed and agility are deeply impressive considering its size and c2.5 ton kerb weight. We need to drive a production example to be sure, but the early signs are that the RS6 Performance could have a serious fight on its hands, particularly given that the M5 matches it for price at £112,500.

> 2025 BMW M5 Touring (G99) prototype review – super estate returns to battle the Audi RS6

The two diverge dramatically in terms of philosophy, with the RS6 using pure-combustion power and the M5 a plug-in hybrid setup (called M Hybrid, in BMW speak). At its heart is a 4.4-litre twin turbocharged V8 that generates 577bhp and 553 lb ft of torque, supplemented by an electric motor integrated into the transmission. This boosts the M5 up to 717bhp and 738lb ft, and enables up to 42 miles of pure-electric running. 

Sending power to all four wheels, the M5 posts a 3.6sec 0-62mph time and reaches 124mph in 11.1sec, running on to a top speed of 189mph (when fitted with the optional M Driver’s Package). Despite having an enormous 96bhp power advantage over the RS6 Performance, the M5 is actually two tenths slower to reach 62mph, no doubt due to the weight penalty of the hybrid system. BMW hasn’t released an official weight figure, but expect the Touring to be marginally heavier than the 2435kg saloon. That mass is at least spread evenly across the axles with a near perfect 50:50 weight distribution. 

As part of the Touring transformation, the M5 has gained strengthening measures to account for the lack of a rear bulkhead. The rear underfloor is braced with a cross bar and shear panel, with further stiffening elements in the luggage area. As in the saloon, there's also a shear panel that connects the front strut towers and increases rigidity around the engine bay. 

This provides a stronger base for the M5’s suspension, which features bespoke kinematics, geometry and lightweight aluminium components. The bodywork has been pumped up to accommodate wider tracks, too, with the M5 measuring 75mm and 48mm wider at the front and rear respectively compared to the standard 5-series Touring. The sills have been extended to integrate into the swollen arches, while the front and rear bumpers are M-specific. 

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Typical of an M car, there’s enormous freedom to tailor the M5’s behaviour through its drive modes. The adaptive dampers, powertrain, gearshift speed, steering, brake pedal feel and ESC intervention can all be adjusted, as well as the calibration for the four-wheel drive system. The hybrid system also offers different levels of energy deployment, including a Dynamic Plus setting to deliver maximum power for short periods. Alternatively, you can hold the left-hand shift paddle to activate Boost Control for a temporary hit of extra acceleration. 

Inside, the M5 gets standard-fit M multi-adjustable seats and an M-specific control panel on the centre console, as well as a flat-bottom steering wheel. BMW’s Operating System 8.5 infotainment setup gets unique graphics, too. A Bowers & Wilkins sound system, four-zone climate control and M-specific ambient lighting come as standard, and if you fancy towing a caravan with your 717bhp M5, you can order it with a tow hitch. 

The M5 Touring is available to order now from £112,500, with deliveries commencing in 2025.