BMW M5 Touring

The BMW M5 Touring is first and foremost a ‘driver’s car’ offering legendary M car performance and outstanding driving dynamics. However with the addition of 1,650 litres of luggage space, this BMW has all the excitement of an M car with the added versatility of a Touring.

With its award-winning 507hp 5.0-litre V10 engine, the M5 Touring can accelerate from zero to 62mph in just 4.8 seconds and achieve a top speed of 155 (electronically limited) mph. This impressive performance is further aided by being the world’s first production car to feature a seven-speed Sequential Manual Gearbox with Drivelogic.

There are 11 programmes to choose from - six in the manual and five in the automatic - allowing you to shift gear in as little as 45 milliseconds. When you consider that it takes 120 milliseconds to blink, you can see how fast the Sequential Manual Gearbox is. It gives you the true feeling or driving a track-car.

The M5 Touring also features the latest M traction control technology, allowing you to harness the car’s full power. The three-stage Dynamic Stability Control+ (DSC+) system gives you performance and stability in its default setting, while the M Dynamic mode allows you to drive the M5 dynamically before the control system finally cuts in. This further enhances that race-track feeling.

BMW Variable M differential gives you the highest level of traction even when accelerating around corners. It ensures the M5 sticks to the road by sending power to the rear tyre with most grip. This is complemented by Electronic Damper Control (EDC) to offer three suspension settings to suit varying road conditions.

These features can be tuned to your driving needs using the MDrive Manager. Via the iDrive Menu you define personal settings for power, gearbox mode, EDC, DSC, and the degree of seat support you require. Then simply by touching the MDrive button on the car’s steering-wheel you can change from a practical family vehicle to a focused performance car.

As with all M cars the exterior styling on the M5 Touring hints at what is under the bonnet. Design features like a larger front air dam and four tailpipes are all evidence of the car’s ability to perform.  Internally it has all the latest comfort innovations of the 5 Series range with the addition of M5 Active seat adjustments for driver and passenger support, and the option to add the BMW Individual Audio System with 16 loud speakers offering 825 watts of sound.

The M5 Touring is designed with the driver in mind. As a result it’s more than a thrilling car to drive, it’s practical too. As well as an expandable luggage compartment the rear window opens independently from the tailgate so you can access the boot even when parked in confined places.