NEW BMW M5 TOURING

Low ride height, extra aero and flared arches give the M5 Touring a dramatic look that corresponds with its dramatic performance. The look is intensified by Isle of Man Green paintwork; as you can see, sunlight really makes this dedicated ‘M’ colour sing. The cabin features ‘Merino’ leather (a BMW Individual specification) in Kyalami Orange and black. Seats are supremely comfortable and supportable, whatever your size. Trim is described as Dark Silver M accent combined with lashings of Carbon Fibre and high-gloss silver threads. Appealing tricolour accents abound and the spacious rear seats offer a wonderful environment for passengers.

Standard equipment is generous even considering the $250k price point. You get an M carbon roof, rear spoiler or a panorama glass roof. The brake calipers have been given the gloss-red treatment while the double-spoke black wheels are staggered with 20-inch fronts and 21s at the rear (with only a slight difference in tyre width). The Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system has 18 speakers. And the Touring’s laser headlights are the best we’ve encountered.

Overall power output comes from the free-spinning 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 (good for 430kW from 5600rpm) and a 145kW electric motor mounted on the gearbox. Combined, you get a maximum of 535kW and an even 1000Nm of torque. This proves enough to propel a 2500kg heavyweight to 100km/h in 3.5 seconds with the help of xDrive all-wheel-drive.

This is a car that fidgets a lot in urban driving but feels much better as speeds rise. The more speed, the better. For this, it requires space and preferably smooth tarmac. A circuit would be very useful for exploring the depth of performance as there is enormous grip. If you’re an assertive driver who likes getting from A to B quickly and safely and enjoys configuring driving set-ups from a figure-hugging sports seat, this is for you.

With space to play with, it’s an incredibly competent and confidence-inspiring performance car. On a track, we suspect you’d keep pushing for higher and higher corner speeds and later braking. It’s some bonus that you get the practicality of a large wagon to boot, good levels of comfort and compliance when you wish to cruise, and welcome physical controls separate from the touchscreen. Another everyday plus-point is that rear steering makes it easy to turn around in a tightish circle.

Flaps on either flank confirm this is a plug-in hybrid and the 18.6kWh battery gives an electric-only range of about 60km. In theory, combined fuel economy of 2.0L/100km is possible with very regular charging but 12L/100km would be more likely in real-world driving.

It took quite a while to warm to this hot BMW and we went through a head-scratching phase wondering just how the M5 has ended up like this. We came away neither thrilled nor displeased. But there’s no questioning the raw ability and size of the achievement because the M5 Touring is so brutally effective at eating up fast roads. If only we could use the pace responsibly like those Bavarians can.