Photo: Kolesa
In the age of SUVs and crossovers of all shapes and sizes, people just don’t appreciate station wagons the way they used to, especially since you now have so many equally or perhaps even more practical alternatives to choose from.
Yet, there is a certain type of station wagon that walks that fine line between two different worlds. It has the sleek and non-presumptuous styling of a traditional family car, crossed over (pun intended) with the sheer ruggedness of something more utilitarian and more capable once you run out of tarmac.
You usually can find these types of wagons at different price points, built by a wide range of car manufacturers. Of course, the most popular/capable ones have always come with premium price tags, with the Audi A6 Allroad having already made a name for itself in this segment. It’s been so successful that Audi went on to unveil an A4 Allroad as well, which happened back in 2009.
Volvo has been in the game for a long time as well, with the V90 Cross Country currently acting as a direct rival to the A6 Allroad, which also must contend with the All-Terrain version of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, introduced in 2016.
BMW, however, hasn‘t been at all interested in building a rugged wagon using the 5 Series Touring as a blueprint, and we’re not exactly sure why. Renderings such as this one by Kolesa show that adding body cladding and more ground clearance to a G31 5 Series wagon doesn’t mess with the overall aesthetic in any way. Also, if the Bavarian carmaker wants proof-of-concept, all they have to do is look at their rivals.
It’s never a good idea to stick to your guns indefinitely in the car industry. There was never an M3 Touring until BMW decided to reverse that philosophy. They were also against any type of M-powered 7-Series, until finally we got the M760i xDrive, as a sort of compromise for the lack of an M7, which we bet will happen someday.
At this point, there’s no reason to believe that a jacked-up 5 Series Touring (maybe call it the Gran Wagon or Cross Wagon?) wouldn’t be just as successful as the A6 Allroad or the E-Class All-Terrain. It would certainly look the part, as shown in these digital drawings.
As for what it might be like to drive, well, seeing as how the A6 Allroad is only available in the U.S. in 55 TFSI quattro spec, an equivalent BMW 5 Series “Cross Wagon” would probably need to exist in 540i xDrive form. As a sedan, the 540i xDrive uses its turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six unit in order to hit 60 mph (96 kph) in just 4.6 seconds, courtesy of those 335 hp (same as the Allroad).
The taller wagon model would probably be a tiny bit slower to 60, and a little less fun to drive, but the overall experience wouldn’t be all that different.
You usually can find these types of wagons at different price points, built by a wide range of car manufacturers. Of course, the most popular/capable ones have always come with premium price tags, with the Audi A6 Allroad having already made a name for itself in this segment. It’s been so successful that Audi went on to unveil an A4 Allroad as well, which happened back in 2009.
Volvo has been in the game for a long time as well, with the V90 Cross Country currently acting as a direct rival to the A6 Allroad, which also must contend with the All-Terrain version of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, introduced in 2016.
BMW, however, hasn‘t been at all interested in building a rugged wagon using the 5 Series Touring as a blueprint, and we’re not exactly sure why. Renderings such as this one by Kolesa show that adding body cladding and more ground clearance to a G31 5 Series wagon doesn’t mess with the overall aesthetic in any way. Also, if the Bavarian carmaker wants proof-of-concept, all they have to do is look at their rivals.
It’s never a good idea to stick to your guns indefinitely in the car industry. There was never an M3 Touring until BMW decided to reverse that philosophy. They were also against any type of M-powered 7-Series, until finally we got the M760i xDrive, as a sort of compromise for the lack of an M7, which we bet will happen someday.
At this point, there’s no reason to believe that a jacked-up 5 Series Touring (maybe call it the Gran Wagon or Cross Wagon?) wouldn’t be just as successful as the A6 Allroad or the E-Class All-Terrain. It would certainly look the part, as shown in these digital drawings.
As for what it might be like to drive, well, seeing as how the A6 Allroad is only available in the U.S. in 55 TFSI quattro spec, an equivalent BMW 5 Series “Cross Wagon” would probably need to exist in 540i xDrive form. As a sedan, the 540i xDrive uses its turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six unit in order to hit 60 mph (96 kph) in just 4.6 seconds, courtesy of those 335 hp (same as the Allroad).
The taller wagon model would probably be a tiny bit slower to 60, and a little less fun to drive, but the overall experience wouldn’t be all that different.
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