By now, you may have realised that we enjoy a good wagon here at CARmag.co.za. But, over the past few years, local buying trends have sadly prompted most brands to kill off their estate cars in South Africa.
And that makes the international reveal of the new BMW 5 Series Touring – which shares much with the new 5 Series sedan, due to arrive in local dealerships rather soon – sting.
Yes, this is yet another wagon that South Africans won’t be able to buy. Indeed, the Munich-based says the new model was developed “specifically for the European market”.
The new BMW 5 Series Touring will make its official debut in March 2017 at the Geneva International Motor Show, with four engines on offer, along with the option of rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
Standard features will include rear air suspension with an automatic self-levelling function, while the options list will be crammed with items such as dynamic dampers, integral active steering and M Sport suspension (with a 10 mm drop in ride height).
BMW says space inside has increased substantially, now allowing up to three child seats to be fixed securely across the rear. The boot capacity, too, has grown.
The BMW 530i Touring employs a 2,0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine worth 185 kW and 350 N.m (and mated to an eight-speed Steptronic transmission), facilitating a claimed 0-100 km/h time of 6,5 seconds. A 3,0-litre six-cylinder in-line petrol engine (250 kW/450 N.m), meanwhile, combines with all-wheel drive to send the BMW 540i xDrive Touring to three figures in 5,1 seconds.
The four-cylinder diesel engine in the BMW 520d Touring extracts 140 kW and 400 N.m from its 2,0-litre displacement. As standard, this oil-burner is fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox, but can also be specified with an eight-speed automatic. The 0-100 km/h sprint takes 8,0 seconds (or two-tenths quicker in auto guise).
Rounding off the line-up of engines available from launch is a 3,0-litre straight-six diesel worth 195 kW and 620 N.m. This mill can send its power through either the rear wheels or to all four corners. The all-wheel drive variant sees off the obligatory sprint in 5,6 seconds.
So, there you have it. Yet another tasty wagon you can’t buy…
