BMW

2027 BMW M5 Touring

Fresh spy photos of the updated BMW M5 Touring are finally giving enthusiasts a clearer look at what is coming next, and there is a lot more happening here than a simple refresh. Even though this is technically a facelift, BMW appears to be treating the M5 wagon like a full redesign in several key areas, which immediately raises expectations.

The biggest visual change is up front. Unlike most mid cycle updates where manufacturers leave the hood and fenders alone, the M5 Touring prototypes show completely new front bodywork. The headlights are entirely new and now sit in a more vertical orientation, giving the car a sharper and more aggressive face. The kidney grille design is still a mystery. Early test vehicles of the updated 5 Series showed wide, horizontally stretched grilles blended into the headlights, while newer M5 prototypes seem to wear a more traditional grille similar to the current model. There is a real chance BMW is testing multiple front end designs before locking in the final look.

Around the back, the changes are more subtle but still meaningful. The taillights feature a redesigned LED signature with a single slim horizontal strip that expands at the outer edges. For the first time, the prototypes also reveal the shape of the new rear bumper. It looks cleaner and more classic, with a contrasting insert and a diffuser integrated at the bottom, staying true to the M performance identity without going over the top.

Under the skin, the M5 Touring sticks with BMW’s CLAR modular platform, carried over from the previous generation. Power still comes from a hybrid setup that blends a 4.4 liter twin turbo V8 gasoline engine with an electric motor. The combustion engine delivers 585 horsepower and 750 newton meters of torque, while the electric motor adds 197 horsepower and 280 newton meters. Together, the system produces a massive 727 horsepower and up to 1000 newton meters of torque. Power is sent through an 8 speed automatic transmission and BMW M xDrive all wheel drive, making this wagon as serious on the road as it is practical.

There is talk of a modest power increase with the facelift, but the core powertrain philosophy is expected to stay intact. Instead of chasing bigger numbers, BMW seems focused on refining performance, efficiency, and everyday usability. That balance is exactly why the M5 Touring has such a strong following among enthusiasts who want supercar level pace without giving up space or comfort.

The updated BMW M5 is expected to make its official debut closer to 2027. Until then, these prototypes give us a solid preview of a wagon that continues to blur the line between family hauler and full blown performance machine.

Long before the mid-cycle update goes official, the Mercedes E-Class and Audi A6 rival has been spotted out on public roads. Car paparazzi caught the more practical Touring variant testing in full camouflage. However, most of the changes appear to be concentrated at the front. It is a facelift, after all. The LCI doesn’t seem as drastic as first suggested by the earliest test vehicles spotted nearly a year ago.

BMW may have changed its mind, as the 5 Series is apparently skipping a full Neue Klasse makeover. The design language introduced by the new iX3 and the upcoming i3 won’t be carried over wholesale to the 5er. Conventional kidney grilles are easy to spot, replacing the flatter, wider design seen on earlier prototypes. Consequently, the car now looks more like a traditional facelift than the radical transformation BMW initially hinted at last year.

That said, some of these differences could be down to how the camouflage is applied. BMW is well known for using clever camo to mislead observers into thinking they’re looking at something else. The front bumper design appears unchanged from the initial prototypes. We’re getting an M Sport package vibe from the horizontal slat above the license plate. The split lower air intakes also point to a higher-end version. That said, the lack of visible exhaust tips at the rear confirms this is a non-M model.

Speaking of the rear, the design seems largely carried over from the current 5 Series Touring. However, the taillights partially reveal new graphics, not too far removed from those of the next-generation 3 Series and i3. Unfortunately, the tailgate still features fixed glass, as BMW dropped the ability to access the cargo area without opening the entire panel when the G61 debuted last year.

All signs suggest BMW is playing it safe with the exterior. The original facelift proposal may have been deemed too risky for a Life Cycle Impulse, though the full story may never come to light. Inside, however, the evolutionary approach ends. The interior will showcase the full impact of Neue Klasse, mirroring the strategy prepared for this year’s 7 Series LCI. We believe the updated 5 Series is undergoing one of the most radical interior transformations ever applied to a facelift.

Beyond the iDrive X and Panoramic Vision already introduced on the iX3, BMW is reportedly taking things a step further by adding yet another screen. An optional front passenger display is expected to arrive, with the 7 Series LCI debuting it first when it arrives in the coming months. Beyond the screen extravaganza, the 5 Series facelift is also rumored to gain optional massaging seats; an upgrade that fits the model’s positioning, especially since the previous generation offered this feature.

Expect to see more prototypes throughout 2026 and into the first half of next year. Production is rumored to begin in July 2027, pointing to a world premiere roughly a year and a half from now.

by Autonews