Over the last 25 years or so, the story of station wagons in the U.S. has been a sad one. Sales plunged with the advent of the minivan in the early/mid 1980s, and the wagon’s fate was seemingly cemented when—of all things—the SUV picked up buyers tired of the sliding-door stigma.
It's not as if there‘s a shortage of capable station wagons on the global market. As you probably know, European customers often prefer spacious five-door wagons over the executive sedans on which they are based. Three of the most popular and luxurious models are the Audi A6 Avant, the BMW 5-series Touring (known here as the Sports Wagon), and the Mercedes-Benz E-class wagon. To renew the fight in Europe—but not here, since this Bimmer won’t be imported to the U.S.—BMW will launch its next-gen 5er Touring at the Leipzig, Germany, auto show in early April.
It‘s a pity that we won’t get it, because the look of the new Touring is an improvement over that of its funky predecessor; the new model is almost coupe/fastback-like, and it’s even more elegant than the handsome if somewhat bland sedan. Furthermore, it is certainly easier on the eye than the chunky 5-series Gran Turismo.
