The M5 Touring was the wagon BMW chose for North America, and it has found an audience quickly. At the time of the report, the Touring variant was selling at a nearly 50/50 rate compared with the M5 sedan.
This matters because BMW has already shown that U.S. customer demand can influence special M decisions. The M3 CS Handschalter, a manual-transmission model offered only in North America, is the clearest recent example.
The M5 Touring Is Performing Strongly In North America
BMW’s decision to bring the M5 Touring to North America appears to be paying off. According to Car and Driver, BMW NA vice president of product management Michael Keller said the company is seeing “continuous demand,” while the M5 Touring is taking almost half of M5 sales compared with the sedan.
That take rate gives BMW a useful signal. The company is not treating it as a confirmed trend that automatically leads to more wagons, but it does show that the market is responding to a body style often considered niche in the U.S.
Keller made that cautious position clear. “We will look into Touring concepts where it makes sense for the U.S. market, because at the moment we are quite happy with the M5,” he said.
Customer Demand Has Already Changed BMW’s U.S. Strategy
BMW has recently shown a willingness to adapt its M lineup for North America. The M3 CS Handschalter was developed for this market, combining performance-focused equipment such as titanium exhaust components and carbon-ceramic brakes with a manual gearbox and three pedals.
That model stands out because North America has not often received special M3 variants since the E36 M3 era. In this case, BMW reversed that pattern by making the CS Handschalter available only on this side of the Atlantic.
There is also precedent in larger M cars. The older V-10-powered M5 and M6 were offered with manual transmissions in the U.S., another example of BMW bending its usual product logic for an important performance market.
The M3 Touring Remains A Topic, Not A Product Plan
The M3 Touring is not currently confirmed for the U.S., and Keller did not say that anything is in development. Still, he acknowledged that customers have petitioned BMW to bring the model over.
“We also saw customers petitioning on M3 Touring, bringing it to the U.S. There is momentum in the market,” Keller said.
The wider wagon market remains limited in the U.S. Mainstream wagon offerings are not expected to return soon, with the new Audi Allroad described as one of the closest examples coming to the market. Performance wagons have had more traction, including the Mercedes-AMG E63 wagon and the Audi RS6 Avant.
Those are larger wagons, closer to the M5 Touring than to the 3 Series. Still, BMW has a history of building 3 Series wagon variants, and the report notes that some buyers would prefer an M3 Touring over an X3 M.
A manual M3 Touring is not part of the discussion. But based on BMW’s comments and the current M5 Touring response, a fast 3 Series wagon for the U.S. is not completely off the table.
