While the arrival of the BMW M5 Touring (Wagon) to America might not surprise many in the BMW community, it’s now officially confirmed. The journey of the M5 Wagon began around 2019, following a noticeable surge in the popularity of high-performance wagons among U.S. consumers. Responding to this trend, U.S. dealers encouraged BMW M to introduce this powerful wagon stateside. Consequently, strategic plans were set in motion, and BMW continued the development of their 5 Series, including the M5, ensuring compliance with U.S. regulations. This marked a significant shift from the approach taken with the 3 Series Wagon and M3 Wagon, which were not made compliant with North American standards.

Won’t Be as Expensive As Some Believe

Now that it’s confirmed the M5 Touring will be arriving stateside, the topic of pricing is sparking widespread speculation. In the past 24 hours, a flurry of discussions has emerged across various platforms, including our website, forums, and social media, proposing various price points. A dominant sentiment among these discussions suggests, “This will be a $150,000 wagon, it will be too expensive, it won’t sell.”

But we believe that number is incorrect. Here is why. Firstly, the current F90 BMW M5 Competition has a price tag of around $112,000. Now if the pundits were correct, the $150,000 MSRP would mean an increase of 34% which even with today’s inflation, it’s just insane. Looking at recent price hikes, what makes more sense is 8-10% increase which put the BMW M5 Touring in the $121,000 – $125,000 range. That will also mean that the G99 M5 Touring will stay competitive in the segment where the 2024 Audi RS6 Avant sells for around $127,000.

While the base price of the M5 Touring might initially suggest affordability, optional extras could quickly elevate the cost beyond $150,000. However, BMW might adopt the strategy used for the XM, offering fewer packages and options, potentially maintaining a more moderate average price. One thing seems likely: BMW has gleaned valuable insights from selling high-end models. Consider the XM: despite being a solid offering, its $190,000 price for the XM Label variant likely impacted its market performance. A similar story unfolded with the BMW M8 Competition, which, despite its excellence, faced sales challenges due to its $140,000 price tag.

Unveil Later This Summer

If BMW sets the M5 Touring’s price within the $120k-$130k range, sales prospects look promising. While the M3 Touring was highly anticipated for its affordability and appeal to enthusiasts, the M5 Touring is expected to dazzle in its own right. A recent U.S. dealership preview has apparently left attendees impressed, so there is hope that this is indeed a home run for the M brand. The official unveiling of the M5 Sedan and its wagon counterpart is scheduled for the coming months, with the sedan debuting first. Media test drives are also on the horizon, promising deeper insights into this hefty yet impressively capable wagon’s performance, both on the road and on the track.