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The new 5-Series Touring is expected to arrive 12 months after the reveal of the Sedan, which is making its world debut at March's 2010 Geneva Motor Show, and these latest spy shots give us a glimpse of how it will look. Most of the planned changes for the 2011 BMW 5-Series will be skin-deep.


Looky, looky – it's another piece of future German metal disguised to look like MC Escher on peyote. But what is it? Well, unlike the never ending back-and-forth between the A6 and/or the A8, we're certain this is the new 2011 5 Series Touring, a.k.a. a Bimmer station wagon or "Kombi" as they call 'em over in Europe. Not bad, right? Kinda lithe yet athletic at the same time. Good looking, too. And let's not forget the M versions of these puppies. Only thing is, what we think probably doesn't matter – odds are we'll never see the 5 Series Touring here in the States.


Performance will also be improved thanks to the extensive use of lightweight materials including carbon-fiber and aluminum. The car’s construction will be a mix of an aluminum spaceframe for the front section and a traditional steel monocoque for the passenger compartment and rear. This will ensure a favorable front-to-rear weight distribution and improved handling. Up front will be an independent suspension with MacPherson struts, with a multi-link layout for the rear. High-performance models, such as the next M5, will possibly include carbon-fiber body panels to shed even more weight.


A few reasons. Never mind the nearly 1,000 pound weight advantage of the wagon (around 4,000 pounds) over the GT (about 4,800 pounds) – which should bring with it better mileage, performance and handling – to its detractors, the Gran Turismo just has an air of Chrysler Pacifica about it. Of course, since the day it came out, many of us auto-journo types have been asking why one would buy the SUV-ish X5 when the hauls-just-as-much-stuff 5 Series wagon is not only available but costs less, goes quicker, handles better, etc. Looks like BMW just might just disarm that line of questioning altogether. Maybe.
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