Popularity of powerful BMW station wagons is growing in the USA
The launch of models such as the Audi RS6 Avant and BMW M5 Touring has contributed to a revival of interest in high-performance station wagons in the United States. BMW has noticed this trend, opening up prospects for more such cars to appear on the American market.
Key points of the news:
Why are Americans choosing station wagons?
Last year, BMW found that the M5 Touring sells better in the USA than the sedan, while the opposite situation is observed in Europe. This is surprising, considering the historical popularity of station wagons precisely in the European market. Bernd Körber, BMW’s Senior Vice President of Brand and Product Management, explains this by saying that American buyers are attracted specifically by the car’s shape.
The reasons for buying a station wagon in the USA are completely different. It’s purely about the shape, whereas in Europe you have a combination of shape, functionality, and the ability to travel long distances.
He also added that the combination of style and high performance in the M5 Touring model is a successful formula for success, leaving the door open for other similar cars to appear in the future.
This combination seems to work from a lifestyle perspective. The unique shape combined with high performance looks like a good mix.
Will we see the next generation M3 Touring in America?
Given the success of the M5 Touring, BMW may regret the decision not to sell the M3 Touring in the USA as well. In some markets, the station wagon accounts for up to half of total M3 sales. After the model’s launch, the company even had to increase planned production volumes due to exceptional demand.
Since the current generation M3 will remain on the market for only a few more years, it is unlikely that BMW will have time to develop a version for the USA. However, it is quite likely that the next generation M3, which will transition to a mild hybrid system with familiar 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder twin-turbo engines, will receive a Touring modification. And if that happens, BMW would be wise to offer it to American buyers.
This situation vividly illustrates a shift in market preferences. If previously station wagons in the USA were associated exclusively with practicality, now they are becoming an object of desire for those who value dynamics and exclusive design. The success of the M5 Touring could be a signal for other premium brands to reconsider their strategies for the American market. Perhaps soon we will see more powerful station wagons that will be positioned not as family workhorses, but as true sports cars with expanded capabilities.