Following the great SUV craze that began in the 1990s, the US seemingly bade farewell to the station wagon. Yet some are making a comeback—less as practical family haulers and more as high-performance lifestyle vehicles. Standing out from the crowd is the new mantra—as a tour through the Southeaste in a BMW M5 Touring demonstrates.
Americans have a severe weight problem — and have had one for decades. According to recent studies, nearly three-quarters of citizens are overweight to some degree. The reasons for this have changed little over the years: an unbalanced diet, an abundance of fast food, and the often-prohibitive cost of fresh produce all contribute to both children and adults across large parts of the country carrying a few extra pounds. Does this bother them? Not really. They are self-confident, often successful and enjoy spending time with family and friends not just on sunny weekends. These are all qualities that the BMW M5 Touring embodies as well. With its flared wheel arches, it looks not only menacing but also decidedly sporty—and it carries some extra weight—and quite a lot of it.
But does this bother anyone? Not really; for the engineers at M GmbH in Garching—who for years fought to shave off every last ounces, prioritized driving dynamics above almost all else and sought to develop only vehicles truly suited for the racetrack—have allowed themselves to be convinced otherwise, acting entirely in the spirit of their affluent clientele. A curb weight of 5.500 pounds is a bold statement—one that even the imposing plug-in hybrid powertrain (a turbocharged and hybridized 4.4-litre-V8 delivering a staggering 535 kW / 727 hp) can barely make you forget when cornering with agility. Yet precisely in the country of trucks and SUVs—the BMW M5 in its station wagon guise is a bestseller. The fact that the tour begins at the BMW production facility in Spartanburg is pure coincidence, for this high-powered beast is not actually manufactured here in South Carolina. Instead, it makes its way via transporter and ship from Lower Bavaria; and—as if the combined weight of its two engines, all-wheel-drive and battery pack weren’t heavy enough already—it is also saddled with a few punitive tariffs simply because its manufacturing and components do not originate in the USA. Thanks to numerous options, delivery charges and the “Gas Guzzler Tax” of $2,600 the base price of $121,500 climbs to $140,775. This represents quite a bargain compared to its home market, for in Germany, a similarly equipped model starts at €147,200—a difference of nearly €43,000.
During the SUV boom, Americans largely bade farewell to the family station wagons that had been so immensely popular in the 1960s and 70s—vehicles that often featured three rows of seating and room for up to eight passengers. And it is no wonder: today, a car like the BMW M5 PHEV—especially in its Touring guise—is truly a showstopper. It boasts abundant power, a muscular, “bodybuilder” physique, and sporty DNA underscored by a V8 soundtrack—all topped off with a spacious rear cargo area ready to swallow any amount of luggage. Small wonder, then, that whenever it stops to refuel or park, smartphone cameras start clicking—and that it isn’t just children pressing their noses flat against the windows of this dark-red M5 Touring. Its performance figures are spectacular, its acceleration nothing short of shameless, and—despite all that dynamic prowess—its level of ride comfort is simply sensational. It is no wonder, then, that no one here misses having an SUV—be it a BMW X5/X6 M, an XM, or even a competing model—perhaps even one manufactured right here in North America. The fact that the BMW M5 Touring is so successful on both sides of the Atlantic is due to a multitude of details, a throbbing exhaust note from four round tailpipes—and, surprisingly, has very little to do with the fact that it is a hybrid capable of being charged at a power outlet and reaching speeds of 80 mph in near-total silence.
The nearly 19 kWh battery pack enables an all-electric range of around 40 miles. For many Americans—just as in Europe—this is largely irrelevant, as for most, it is all about performance; and with over 700 horsepower and a mind-boggling 1,000 Nm of maximum torque, that performance is simply colossal. Yet, when a fuel stop becomes necessary on the Jasper Highway near Savannah, the Escalade driver at the adjacent pump proves surprisingly knowledgeable about the powertrain concept: “A hybrid—isn’t it? What a car!” He is right; the first 250 miles behind the grippy leather steering wheel have flown by, thanks to perfect sports seats, laid-back country music, and a sporty-firm suspension—riding on 20- and 21-inch wheels—that never becomes jarring, even on the occasionally battered surface of Interstate 95. The M5 Touring’s excess weight? What excess weight?
With a mere brush of the accelerator, this burly, 727-horsepower show-off finds every gap for overtaking; and as we pass Jacksonville and Orlando, continuing our southward journey, the question of why SUVs outsell everything else—while station wagons play such a minor role—grows ever louder in my mind. Drivers in passing full-size trucks—such as the Ford F-250 or Chevrolet Silverado Super Duty—look down upon the M5 from their thundering, elevated perches. Is it incomprehension? Admiration? Or simply the question of whether a vehicle without an open cargo bed serves any useful purpose at all? The answer is a resounding yes; for thanks in part to its powerful 145 kW (197 hp / 280 Nm) electric motor—cleverly tucked away within the transmission tunnel—the M5 Touring delivers not only performance on par with a high-powered Corvette, but also a level of everyday practicality that would impress even those Americans who dream of one day pushing a BMW M5 over the 300-km/h-mark on the German Autobahn. For beyond its spectacular performance figures, this behemoth from Dingolfing also plays the role of the perfect family companion. Behind the electric tailgate—which, unfortunately, no longer features a separately opening rear window—lies 17 cubic feet of cargo space; by folding down the rear seats, this can be flexibly expanded to over 56 cubic feet. Golf bags, tennis totes, small inflatable boats, four suitcases—and should you ever need to haul something even larger, most Americans in this income bracket likely have a pickup truck sitting in their driveway anyway.
After an evening stopover in Fort Lauderdale—and an encounter with a valet parker who was absolutely thrilled by the M5 Touring—we continued our journey the next day toward the Florida Keys. After some initial rain, the sun streamed through the panoramic roof into the cabin for a drive that remains, to this day, one of the most beautiful in all of North America. Depending on traffic—particularly on the perpetually congested I-95 in the greater Miami area—the drive to Key West takes about four hours, continuing via the Turnpike, Dixie Highway, and the Overseas Highway of Route 1.
It is a route perfectly suited for a open-roof-convertible, yet it proves to be an equally stunning experience in this 201-inch-long sports wagon. One of the few details of the BMW M5 that fails to impress is its driver assistance system. Even with the optional “Driving Assistant Professional” package—a $1,700 upgrade—the driver is required to touch the steering wheel every few seconds; otherwise, the car begins to flash and beep in an annoyingly persistent manner. This offers precious little in the way of genuine relaxation—and certainly none that justifies the hefty price premium. Eyes must remain on the road, and hands on the wheel. Yet, with stops along the way at Islamorada—and continuing on through Conch Key and Big Pine Key all the way to the bustling streets of Key West—there is an abundance of ocean views, boats, and vibrant colors to enjoy. It may come as something of a surprise, however, that on the tourist-filled Duval Street, the M5 behemoth ultimately garners just as much attention as local landmarks like Sloppy Joe’s, the Sponge Market or the colorful flower-bedecked Sandy’s Cafe close to the beach.
Unfortunately, the situation at the local charging hotspots looks just as bleak as it did during the drive through South Carolina and Georgia. Charging stations are few and far between; when they can be found, they are typically located in parking garages or in front of shopping malls—places where the underbody battery pack can top up with a bit of extra energy. The fact that this powerhouse is limited to a maximum charging rate of 11 kW is, however, hardly an issue—many available charging stations deliver significantly less than that anyway. But then again, who would actually want to drive the BMW M5 PHEV Touring on electric power—and thus in near-silence—especially here in the USA, where a V8 combustion engine still reigns supreme?
