No car transported so fast and comfortably – from 2007 to 2010, the BMW M5 Touring E61 revolutionized the world of estate cars with hi-tech and high performance. The M automobile had a high-revving V10 engine and a design marked by understatement. Thanks to the M typical sport suspension and the roomy boot, the BMW M5 Touring was quickly seen as the perfect allrounder.
5 POWERFUL FACTS:
- 10-cylinder engine with high-rev concept
- Displacement: 4,999 cm³
- Max. output: 373 kW (507 hp)
- 7-speed SMG with Drivelogic
- Top speed (optional): 305 km/h
THE ENGINE.
3.8 kg/hp was the excellent power to weight ratio of the BMW M5 Touring E61 – the result of the enormous power on offer and an empty weight of 1,955 kg.
EMOTION AND RATIO.
With all the motorsport DNA, people almost forgot that the M automobile also had lots of space: five complete seats and a flexible cargo volume of 500 to 1,650 litres. The full capacity could be achieved by putting down the back seats. Therefore, several bags and cases or a complete racing bike were no problem for the exclusive Touring model.
FASTER SHIFTING.
DRIVING DYNAMICS – M TYPICAL.
THE DESIGN.
UNDERSTATEMENT MEETS M POWER.
The BMW M5 Touring had a few design details that characterized it as a true M automobile. The M specific front and rear skirts were immediately recognizable. The fog lamps of the civilian 5-Series model had to give way to larger air inlets on the M5. At the back, it was the implied diffuser and the recesses for the voluminous exhaust system which gave the observer a first impression of the Touring’s performance potential. The striking M gills behind the front wheels provided further optical emphasis. A dynamic design with high recognition value was also a feature of the specially developed M exterior mirrors: their special shape reduced uplift on the front axle at high speeds. 19-inch M alloy wheels rounded off the appearance of the high-performance model with a propensity for understatement.
THE INTERIOR.
SPORTING LUXURY FOR DRIVERS.
In the interior, the tone was set by exclusive M specific components like the M leather steering wheel or the instruments and controls in pearl lustre chrome. Praised by the press, the new iDrive system was made for uncluttered fittings and user-friendliness. Fitted as standard, the full leather upholstery was available in several versions.
Optionally, the BMW M5 Touring could be equipped with multi-adjustable M sports seats, in which the highest level of comfort and ideal lateral support were no contradiction: the side of the seat on the outside of the curve instantly inflated to provide the driver with even more support.