Powerful and purposeful 2024 BMW i5 Touring coming to Australia: Pure electric car heads new 5 Series wagon family with monster performance and traditional long-roof style

BMW Australia has confirmed its new i5 M60 Touring xDrive is set for local launch in the third quarter of this year, offering a rare combination of a traditional five-seat wagon format and pure-electric power.

The dual-motor all-wheel-drive is the so-far lone model in the new BMW 5 Series Touring range for Australia, with pricing confirmed at $219,900, before on-road costs.

Producing a substantial 442kW/800Nm and claiming a near-supercar rapid 0-100km/h time of 3.9 seconds, the i5 M60 Touring xDrive packs an 84kWh battery, while the luxury load-lugger also features an impressive (WLTP) driving range of up to 506km.

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The new 5 Series Touring is larger than its predecessor in every key dimension, measuring 5060mm long (+97mm), 1900mm wide (+32mm) and 1515mm tall (+17mm) with a 2995mm wheelbase (+20mm).

This time around sporting the now typical super-size version of the brand’s signature ‘kidney’ grille.

It may be an all-new design but the sixth-generation 5 Series Touring’s overall proportions are familiar, this time around sporting the now typical super-size version of the brand’s signature ‘kidney’ grille (featuring BMW's 'Iconic Glow' contour lighting), an aggressive dual headlight treatment and near vertical LEDs for the DRLs and indicators.

The new 5 Series Touring is larger than its predecessor in every key dimension.

Inside, a 12.3-inch instrument display is joined with a 14.9-inch multimedia screen, while from a practicality point-of-view the luggage area is wider, offering 570 litres of storage space with the rear seats upright, expanding to 1700 litres with the 40/20/40 backrest lowered.

The i5 M60 Touring xDrive comes with standard equipment highlights including ambient lighting, sports seats, four-zone climate-control, adaptive LED headlights and Merino leather upholstery.

The i5 electric flagship can be charged at a rate of 22kW AC and 205kW DC and a five-year subscription to the national Chargefox network is included in the purchase price.

Inside, a 12.3-inch instrument display is joined with a 14.9-inch multimedia screen.

The i5 M60 Touring xDrive comes with standard equipment highlights including BMW’s all-new ‘Operating System 8.5’, 655-watt, 17-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio, 20- or 21-inch alloy rims, a ‘Panorama’ glass roof, ambient lighting, sports seats, four-zone climate-control, adaptive LED headlights and Merino leather upholstery.

The i5 electric flagship can be charged at a rate of 22kW AC and 205kW DC and a five-year subscription to the national Chargefox network is included in the purchase price.

It joins its 5 Series sedan siblings, the closely related electric i5 M60 xDrive, the rear-drive electric i5 eDrive40 and petrol-powered 520i, which went on sale in 2023.