The E34 M5 Touring had become legendary amongst those who understood the appeal of combining true Motorsport performance with everyday usability, and when the E39 generation arrived without a Touring variant, many believed BMW had lost sight of what made the M5 so unique.

Thankfully, Munich corrected itself.

Introduced in 2007, the E61 M5 Touring represented everything that was great about BMW Motorsport during this era. Hand-built feel, naturally aspirated power, engineering ambition and just enough madness to show they meant business.

At its heart sits one of the most charismatic engines ever fitted to a road car. The remarkable 4999cc V10. Developed during BMW’s Formula One programme and producing 507 bhp, the S85 engine remains one of the defining Motorsport powerplants of the modern era. Individual throttle bodies, double VANOS variable valve timing and a stratospheric 8,250rpm redline gave the M5 Touring performance figures that embarrassed contemporary supercars, whilst still retaining the practicality expected of a large BMW estate.

It remains a deeply special experience today.

The delivery of the V10 is completely unlike anything modern turbocharged performance cars can replicate. Smooth, urgent and increasingly intoxicating as the revs climb, accompanied by one of the finest engine notes ever to leave BMW Motorsport.

As expected, the chassis received extensive revisions over the standard 5 Series Touring. Wider tracks, reinforced subframes, revised geometry, Motorsport dampers and springs, EDC adaptive suspension, larger anti-roll bars and substantial braking upgrades ensured the M5 Touring possessed genuine composure at speed without sacrificing long-distance refinement.

Mercifully, BMW resisted the temptation to compromise ride quality with run-flat tyres, something owners continue to appreciate today.

Only 222 right-hand-drive examples were produced, making the E61 M5 Touring one of the rarest modern M cars and undoubtedly one of the most usable.

The example offered here has covered 75,900 miles and has benefitted from long-term ownership, as well as being in our care for a number of years, facilitating the sale to its current owner in 2022.