German automaker BMW could be considering adding more station wagons to its United States lineup, including (or perhaps especially) high-performance products. Based on the M5 Touring's pleasantly surprising sales success, the automaker could hope to replicate that with more long-roof models aimed at a more style-oriented consumer it would find in Europe. During the reveal event for the 2027 i3, we sat down with Senior Vice President, BMW Brand and Product Management Bernd Koerber and learned that the company is seriously considering more wagons in the American market.BMW American Buyers Are A Little Weird You might expect someone looking for a wagon to place a higher value on practicality, cargo space, and maybe efficiency compared to sedan and crossover shoppers. That's certainly the case in Europe. But in the US, people who buy wagons make the choice primarily for style – a seeming contradiction considering the body style's wholesome, Brady Bunch visage of the 1970s and 1980s.The reasons for buying a Touring in the US are totally different. It's purely the shape, whereas in Europe, you have the combination of shape, functionality, and long-distance traveling.–Bernd Koerber, Senior Vice President, BMW Brand and Product ManagementThat could be one reason why the wagon form factor is rare (but with a passionately loyal clientele) on our shores. While higher-volume wagons like the Volvo V60 have become thin on the ground, the body style is still pretty popular for niche buyers – think the Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain or the Audi RS6 Avant. In fact, the long-roof E-Class has always been one of the company's most popular models with extremely-high-net-worth owners. BMWBMW seems to be keen to tap into that market a little more, but with cars that are tailored for American tastes in wagons. "It looks like Touring is becoming a lifstyle thing, and [BMW is] happy to develop on that," Koerber said, using the company's parlance for estate and station wagon models. High-Po Grocery Getter Part of that lifestyle, insofar as BMW is concerned, involves power, handling, and driver involvement, with Koerber admitting that its US customers adopted the M5 Touring far more enthusiastically than the company was expecting. As a result, the executive seems to think that it will link wagon shapes with high performance in the future, a tantalizing possibility for anyone lusting after the M3 Touring that'll be racing at Le Mans later this year.This combination seems to work from a lifestyle perspective. Unique shape with high performance seems like to be a good mix.-Bernd Koerber, Senior Vice President, BMW Brand and ProductIf we had to guess, the company's future product portfolio will probably include the next-generation BMW M3 wagon, as well as an estate version of the recently revealed i3 electric car. BMW admitted as much during the EV's reveal, acknowledging that more body styles would arrive in the coming months and years – potentially alongside a range-extending internal-combustion engine. Beyond that, we doubt there'll ever be a 7 Series Touring in the lineup, but if we're lucky, perhaps the automaker will consider turning its M235i Gran Coupe into a feisty station wagon to poach some of those now-orphaned Volvo V60 customers.
