PNG, told you so.

BMW Might Kill 5 Series Wagon in Favor of GT Crossover

SPARTANBURG, South Carolina — BMW officials told Inside Line that the future of the 5 Series wagon may be in jeopardy in the U.S. The wagon has never been a strong seller, with fewer than 400 sold this year so far. And with the introduction of the 2010 5 Series GT crossover imminent, BMW may cut out the wagon entirely to clear some space in the lineup.

No official decision has been made, but BMW officials say that 5 Series wagon sales have been slow for years, noting that the company sells more M5s in the U.S. than it does 535i wagons. And during the brief period the V8-equipped 540i wagon and the Z8 roadster were both on sale (2000-'03), the oddball Z8 actually outsold the 540i.

The peak sales year for the 5 Series wagon was 2005, when Americans bought 2,351 of them.

Now the 2010 BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show could put an end to the 5 Series wagon altogether in the U.S. BMW thinks it can sell 4,000-8,000 5 Series GTs annually.

Inside Line says: We'll be surprised if the 5 Series wagon makes it another year. It's a shame, too, as it looks much better than that GT thing. — Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor




BMW Might Kill 5 Series Wagon in Favor of GT Crossover