BMW M5 Touring vs. Audi RS6 Avant: Performance Wagon Showdown

After more than a decade, the Audi RS6 once again has a rival. It’s the new BMW M5 Touring, which, like the Four Rings’s family car, scoffs at those who don’t want to compromise. If you’re ready to turn in your sports car but don’t want to give up the large trunk and comfort of a station wagon, you now have some serious thinking to do.

Exterior

We’ve been without a Touring version of the M5 since 2010. As with its ancestor, the recipe for the new generation does not change, with BMW echoing the sedan’s aesthetics and general characteristics in every aspect.

Compared to the sedan, the M5 Touring has been slightly lengthened. It’s also distinguished by its increased track widths: 2.95 inches more at the front and 1.89 inches at the rear, for a total length of 16.7 feet and a width of 6.5 feet.

The front and rear bumpers have been replaced with more aerodynamic components, and the car gains a splitter and large spoiler, combined with side skirts, to give it a racy appearance.

On the underside, twin exhaust tips stand out, available in black chrome as standard, along with specially designed alloy wheels with 285/40 ZR20 tires at the front and 295/35 ZR21 at the rear.

BMW

Despite debuting in 2019, the Audi RS6, which is about 3.94 inches shorter than the M5 Touring, still looks fashionable and remains distinct from the conventional A6 Avant. This model’s wide, voluminous grille is unique, with an even meaner single-frame grille design and two dedicated—and decidedly aggressive—air intakes.

The flanks are muscular and house wheels up to 22 inches, with the option of red brake calipers and carbon ceramic discs. Equally nasty is the rear, with the large diffuser and oval exhaust tailpipes that emit the raucous sound of the eight-cylinder engine.

If you are fond of even sportier details, the RS6 range also includes the Performance version, which, in addition to having 30 more horsepower and a number of mechanical additions, stands out with its matte grey mirror insets and aerodynamic appendages.

Interior

The M5 Touring is filled with leather. It’s used on both the seats and the dashboard, and several color options are available, including two-tone combinations and a glossy effect. The steering wheel is distinguished by its thick rims, flattened bottom, and numerous buttons for quick access to various driving mode settings.

According to the company, the new BMW M5 Touring’s standard equipment includes accessories such as four-zone automatic climate control, an 18-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system, and an infotainment system with curved displays: a 12.3-inch instrument cluster and a 14.9-inch infotainment system with exclusive graphics. There’s also a head-up display.

Compared to the standard 5 Series Touring, the trunk capacity is reduced, measuring 17.7 to 57.6 cubic feet. Up to 220.4 lbs can be loaded onto the roof, and, as with the sedan version of the M5, the car can tow a trailer of up to 4,409.2 lbs.

BMW

BMW M5 Touring, the interior

The angular lines of the bodywork are echoed in Audi’s cabin, which features a simple, refined dashboard design with piano black and aluminum moldings surrounding the displays. In the center are two screens for the infotainment and climate controls, while the 12.3-inch instrument cluster has information-rich and customizable graphics.

Numerous choices are available for upholstery and inserts. They range from beige seats to black seats with red or blue stitching, as well as Alcantara and carbon fiber panels.

The trunk, which has a capacity of 19.4 to 59.3 cu. ft., is exceptionally useful. A maximum of 198.4 pounds can be loaded onto the roof (including the box), while the towing capacity is up to 4,629.7 lbs.

Engines

Under the hood of the new M5 Touring is the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine, capable of delivering 585 hp and 553 pound-feet of torque. This engine is augmented with an electric motor integrated into the eight-speed automatic transmission. This electric unit adds 197 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque, offering both Launch Control and extra boost to make acceleration between 19 and 93 miles per hour even quicker.

An 18.6-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery in the underbody powers the electric motor. According to BMW, the range in all-electric mode is 41.6 miles in the WLTP cycle, with the possibility of charging up to 11 kW on alternating current.

The xDrive all-wheel drive system manages the delivery of the 727 total hp and 737 lb-ft of torque, with a configuration that includes a rear-dominant four-wheel-drive Sport mode and the option of selecting purely rear-wheel drive.

The performance is impressive: The M5 Touring accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in 3.6 seconds, 0 to 124 mph in 11.1 seconds, and reaches a top speed of 189 mph.

BMW

The Audi is powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter mild-hybrid V-8 engine with 600 hp and 590 lb-ft connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive. In the case of the Performance version, you get 630 hp and 627 lb-ft, with the 0-62 mph sprint dropping by two-tenths, to 3.4 seconds.

The base model’s top speed is 155 mph, and the performance model’s is 175 mph, but choosing the RS Dynamic Plus package will allow the top speed to reach 190 mph.

Weight is the element that differentiates the two cars the most. The RS6 scores 4,575 pounds on the scales, and the M5 Touring comes in at a minimum of 5,456 lbs.

Pricing

The 2025 BMW M5 Touring will start at $122,675 (price includes the $1,175 destination charge) in the US. The Audi RS6 is slightly more expensive for 2025 at $127,695 (with $1,095 for destination). For both models, however, the final price can go up significantly by equipping the many available options or getting carried away with interior and exterior customizations.