BY STEVE SILER
BMW has once again expanded its M5 lineup to include a sizzling wagon version—called the Touring, of course, in BMW’s language. Like the M5 sedan, the M5 station wagon is powered—abundantly—by BMW’s glorious race-bred V-10, which sends no fewer than 500 horses and 383 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels via the controversial seven-speed sequential manual gearbox. Zero to 60 mph takes a tick or two longer than in the sedan, about 4.5 seconds, but still damn scant in wagon terms. Styling tweaks mirror those of the sedan’s, including the deeply sculpted air dam, side vents and skirts, and a rear valance panel with quad exhaust tips. Shaving the roof of its luggage rails makes the M5 Touring particularly sexy, as does the installation of the M6’s lightweight five-spoke wheels and razor-thin tires.
Here’s the bad news: As with every one of its M-powered Touring predecessors (the last of which was based on the E34 M5 from the early 1990s), the E60 M5 Touring will not be sold on U.S. shores due to lack of anticipated interest from anyone but us car freaks and the occasional wit who loves the deliciously sick joke of a 500-hp station wagon. This leaves DaimlerChrysler’s 425-hp Dodge Magnum SRT8 as well as its 507-hp Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG wagon as the undisputed kings of the car pool. In Europe, however, the M5 Touring faces not only the Benz but also the upcoming 435-hp Audi S6 Avant, another car we’re unlikely to get in the U.S.
