Flagship BMW to get a backpack, M5 Touring packs 500 horses

Some might say it's about time. BMW's flagship executive express, the M5, is getting a new addition.

Called the M5 Touring, the new wagon model features a large cargo hold in behind the rear seats- with 1,650 litres of space for moving around 5 people and all of their luggage and belongings at excessive velocities.

The five-hundred-plus horsepower rocket-wagon derives motivation from the same 5.0 litre V10 used in the sedan. The mill redlines at 8250 RPM and delivers 0-60 in 4.8 seconds in the Touring model, right on the heels of it's sedan brother. Unlimited by its governor, the vehicle could hit 200 miles per hour.

Other hardware includes launch control, a seven-speed paddle-shift gearbox with selectable gearshift speed / response, active suspension and differential, and more electronic self-defense mechanisms than the USS Enterprise. Of course, being an M5 means an additional list of cutting edge electronics and technologies as well.

It's all good news for performance buffs- because sometimes the only thing more sinister than a devilishly quick sedan is a devilishly quick wagon.

Buyers after supersonic performance with room for 5 and their things will have to wait until later this year- as the M5 Touring goes into production in March.