2017 BMW 5 Series Touring (G31) Launch Films Are About Wagon Lifestyle

There's literally an app or an electric motor for everything in this car. But the real reason why you want to own it is the stunning design. The F11 predecessor wasn't exactly ugly, but it looks that way next to those subtle sporty lines.

Remember how James Bond drove his BMW 750i by remote from the back seat? Well, now you can drive the 5 Series into a parking spot without even being in the car. But you can't drive fast enough to scrape the bad guys off your hood.

You're never going to use this car to go windsurfing next to the Golden Gate Bridge because you're too busy making money to engage in something frivolous and fun. But for sheer visual appeal, nothing beats putting a clean wagon on a beach.

Compared to its predecessor, the G31 5 Series Touring has noticeably shorter overhangs. If we judge things by the numbers, the newer model is 36mm longer, 8mm wider and 10mm higher. But the biggest change is that, depending on the model, the weight has gone down by up to 100 kilograms.

Inside, key upgrades include the Head-Up display with 70 percent larger projection area, inductive charging, the WLAN hotspot for up to ten devices, offering Apple CarPlay and of course the placement and functionality of the iDrive.

People keep going on about how the BMW X3 M and the GLC 63 from AMG are going to make wagons obsolete. But I see it the other way around because, with the M550i xDrive powertrain, the 5 Series Touring might be one of the fastest, most practical cars in the world, humiliating both the F10 M5 and the E61 M5 Touring, both of which are legendary speed freaks.