Photo: therealbstew on Instagram via BMWBLOG / edited
Word on the street is that BMW intends to sell the M5 Touring in the United States. The rumor took on a life of its own prior to BMW confirming the return of wagon-bodied M5 to the lineup, and these pictures all but confirm US availability for the G99.
Snapped testing in California with a Cali plate by therealbstew on Instagram, the camouflaged prototype sports all the M traits you would expect from a performance wagon. Think quad exhaust pipes, a roof-mounted spoiler, bigger flares, and sticky tires. Michelin supplies the rubber, and we're dealing with 20-/21-inch wheels. The rubber shoes of said prototype measure 285/40R20 and 295/35R21.
The 5er also shows three stickers reading electrified vehicle, which shouldn't come as a surprise. Not only does it feature the S68 twin-turbo V8 introduced by the X7 M60i with mild-hybrid assistance, but the G99 is a plug-in hybrid. Think XM with a different wheelbase and body, as well as much better styling.
Speaking of the XM, what used to be Label Red became Label for the 2024 model year. That's another way of saying more power and torque compared to the standard XM. In certain markets, you can also get a straight-six mill that isn't a true M engine. It's actually the B58 from which M developed the S58.
Turning our attention back to the 2024 BMW XM Label, the most powerful M vehicle in production today belts out a staggering 738 horsepower and 738 pound-feet. Make that 550 kW and 1,000 Nm if you prefer metric units. With said resources, the heavy sport utility vehicle shoots to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) in 3.7 seconds, four tenths quicker than the XM. Top speed? Electronically limited to 155 by default, the XM Label can reach 175 mph (282 kph) with the M Driver's Package.
Photo: SH Proshots
Over in Europe, that would be 285 kilometers per hour, meaning 177 miles per hour. Coincidentally, that's also the maximum speed of the X5 M Competition and X6 M Competition. One could argue that BMW won't change it for the M5 Touring, but on the other hand, that would make BMW's all-new M5 slower than the outgoing model. The M5 CS is advertised with 190 mph (305 kph) to its name.
Top speed is dependent on a variety of variables, beginning with power and – of course – aero. Gearing also plays a role, and let's not forget curb weight either. Because the G99 and sedan-bodied G90 are heavier than the F90, and because the electric motor integrated into the ZF 8HP torque-converter automatic doesn't operate at higher speeds, it appears that the newcomers won't match the F90's speed.
Regarding the high-voltage battery's gross capacity, the 2025 BMW M5 is expected to mirror the XM's 29.5 kilowatt hours. Of those, 25.7 kilowatt hours are reserved for electric assistance or purely electric propulsion. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, both the XM and XM Label are good for 31 miles (50 kilometers) in all-electric mode.
On that note, US availability for the M5 Touring further suggests that BMW could bring the i5 Touring in this part of the world. For the time being, the punchiest i5 of the bunch is the dual-motor M60. It makes 593 horses and 605 pound-feet (820 Nm).
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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