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A small fraternity of enthusiasts and automotive journalists keeps telling carmakers we need station wagons. They’re sportier than SUVs, more beautiful than high-roof crossovers, and have a sophisticated retro aura. Few automakers have listened to our pleas, and when they did, it didn’t always turn out so well. When was the last time you saw a Cadillac CTS wagon? We can’t remember, either. (But we miss it.) Nonetheless, this new BMW 5-series Touring has us starting up all over again.
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BMW North America, though, is paying us no heed. In Europe, the situation is much different. The market for station wagons is huge: Sedans are seen as stodgy, and SUVs suffer from a combination of poor fuel economy and a lower top speed. Why put up with it, especially when station wagons are as beautiful as the new BMW 5?
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The new model looks sleek and harmonious, with an upper character line that stretches all the way to the Hofmeister kink in the D-pillar. There is a stylized spoiler below the rear window (which opens separately from the liftgate), and a functional one at the top of it. Bigger than its predecessor in every dimension, it offers a substantial cargo hold, yet it maintains a relatively low roofline. Of course, it comes with the whole suite of assistance systems and luxury features that arrived with this latest generation of 5-series; the semi-autonomous-driving functions even work at speeds up to 130 mph.
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And that’s a velocity that is easily reached by all of the engine options offered in Europe. In fact, three out of four are governed at 155 mph: the 530d with a 261-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder diesel, the 530i with the 248-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four familiar to Americans, and the 540i with a 335-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter six (also seen in our market). Only the 520d with its 187-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel maxes out at 143 mph—although, in its favor, you can spec it with a six-speed manual transmission, a lovely alternative to the eight-speed automatic that is standard in all the other models.
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- BMW Slashes Hybrid 5-series Price by $ 10,000, M550i Starts at $ 73,095
- Five Large: We Drive the All-New 2017 BMW 5-series
- BMW 5-series Research: Pricing, Specs, Reviews, and More
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No matter the powertrain, we think this wagon is beautiful. Just look at these pictures. And it’s so much more cool than your parents’ crossover SUV. BMW North America has told us categorically that there is no chance the 5-series Touring will come to the U.S. market. Of course, we think they should reconsider. Just listen to us, BMW.
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