Official pics, 5 Series Touring

These are official photos of BMW's F10-generation 5 Series Touring wagon. We had previously brought you artist's impressions of how the new mid-range wagon would look, but it's clear from the BMW-sanctioned images that the tail lights of the wagon are thinner and the D pillars are more upright than anticipated.

BMW Australia has now committed to an October launch date for the car, suggesting this year's Australian International Motor Show in Sydney will be the venue for its public unveiling locally.

According to basic specs released by the prestige importer, the 5 Series Touring will offer a luggage capacity of 560 litres with the rear seat upright, expanding to as much as 1670 litres with the triple-split seat folded flat. BMW claims that this 40:20:40 split-folding seat, which also reclines up to 11 degrees, is unique in the market segment.

Following popular thinking in wagon design, the 5 Series Touring provides the facility to fold the seats flat through levers located in the luggage compartment. Useful design features include the cargo blind that rises automatically with the tailgate and a push-button-to-open separate window in the tailgate.

Two variants will go on sale locally, the petrol-engined 'TwinTurbo' 535i Touring and the diesel four-cylinder 520d. The common-rail diesel develops 135kW of power and is constructed from aluminium. EU fuel consumption and emissions figures for the Euro 5-compliant engine are 5.3L/100km (combined) and 139g/km, respectively. Also Euro 5-compliant, the 'TwinTurbo' (single twin-scroll turbo) six powering 535i Touring has already been introduced locally in the 5 Series Gran Turismo.  Developing 225kW of power, the VALVETRONIC-equipped engine and can propel the 535i Touring to 100km/h from standstill in 6.1 seconds.

BMW is not giving anything away concerning specs or pricing, but both models will feature the eight-speed ZF automatic transmission and we're expecting the six-cylinder 535i to undercut Benz's E 350 Estate on price.

BMW has owned up to the wagon arriving here with self-levelling pneumatic rear suspension and buyers will be able to option the car with Adaptive Drive and Integral Active Steering.

Along with its sedan sibling, the 5 Series Touring is built at the same plant at Dingolfing, Germany where the 7 Series is also built.

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