I am a great fan of station wagons like the BMW 535i Touring you see here.
Estates are cool, practical and make better daily cars than their saloon counterparts. Two excellent examples that spring to mind are the Audi S4 Avant and the Volvo V70 T5. Unlike in Europe, however, wagons are considered niche models here. Maybe conservative motorists find their shape too similar to that of commercial vans?
Regardless, BMW has re-entered the local estate segment with the Touring version of the very popular 5 Series. Perhaps recognising that this bodystyle will never be a volume seller, BMW has brought in only the high-end 535i and 550i Touring.
It retains the sporty, dignified demeanour of the saloon, but with an added dimension of elegance. That long sloping roof enhances the dominant shoulder lines and slightly bulging fenders. In short, the 5 wagon definitely has even more road presence than the 5 saloon.
Standard equipment for the well-made 535i Touring includes a head-up display, panoramic sunroof, premium sound system with multimedia connectivity, satellite navigation and a rear view camera. BMW Park Assist (automated parallel parking) is also available.
Rear headroom remains adequate despite the sloping roofline. However, like most BMWs, the rear seat cushion is set rather low. Speaking of which, one advantage of the Touring is that its rear seat-backs offer a versatile 40:20:40 split and are adjustable by up to 11 degrees.
Wagons have to earn their keep as practical vehicles and in this respect, the Touring delivers. With all seats in place, the 560-litre luggage capacity is 40 litres up on the saloon. Fold the rear seats down, and the load space expands to a whopping 1670 litres!
Under the floor is “secret storage” with a lid supported by a hydraulic strut. Bags, cameras, personal items and even boxes of jewellery can be safely stored “underneath”, away from the prying eyes of valet drivers, for instance.
The BMW 535i Touring’s 306bhp 3-litre provides express delivery service.
A neat party trick is the two-stage tailgate opening. One switch on the remote control opens the rear windscreen for the loading and unloading of small items; press another switch and the whole tailgate opens. The main hatch can be closed automatically, but the glass screen has to be shut manually.
Unfortunately, the shape of the boot compartment is not golfer-friendly, so golf bags have to be transported diagonally. (Maybe Germans aren’t into the game of golf.) In any case, parallel rails with hooks for nets keep the boot’s contents in their place during quick touring trips.
And the 535i Touring is lively, thanks to its highly respected 3-litre inline-6 with a turbocharged output of 306bhp and 400Nm. It does the century sprint in just over 6 seconds, which is speedy indeed for a full-size estate.
Even more impressive is the manner in which the performance is delivered. The sweet 6-cylinder is refined when cruising and effortlessly smooth when extended, with sporty notes emanating from both engine and exhaust.
The tailgate’s opening angle can be pre-set using an iDrive sub-menu.
The Touring is 70kg heavier than the regular four-door, which is like carrying an extra adult passenger all the time. This extra weight is not apparent on hard acceleration, though. When driven enthusiastically over twisty road sections, there is no discernible difference in handling between the wagon and the saloon, although the latter has a slight edge in fast lane manoeuvres.
By estate standards, the BMW 535i Touring is a gem, communicating intimately with the driver and responding faithfully to his every input.
The BMW 535i Touring offers an elegant blend of practicality and performance. Its $325k list price seems steep, but this is a reasonable $8k more than for the saloon. I would choose the wagon without hesitation.
BMW 535i Touring 3.0 (A)
ENGINE 2979cc, 24-valves, inline-6, turbocharged
MAX POWER 306bhp at 5800rpm
MAX TORQUE 400Nm at 1200-5000rpm
GEARBOX 8-speed automatic with manual select
0-100KM/H 6.1 seconds
TOP SPEED 250km/h (governed)
CONSUMPTION 11.8km/L (combined)
PRICE INCL. COE $325,800 (as of December 2011)
Check out the BMW 5 Series
