The American obsession with “dominant” driving positions and hauling massive amounts of empty air in oversized SUVs has officially reached the point of absurdity. For years, the station wagon was treated like a leper in the US market, slaughtered on the altar of the crossover. But it turns out the Germans at BMW have just had a “Eureka” moment: Americans actually like long-roof cars.
Bernd Koerber, BMW’s Senior VP of Brand and Product Management, recently admitted to CarBuzz that while Europeans buy a Touring for its soul-crushing practicality and long-distance functionalism, Americans buy them because they look damn good. It’s not about the cargo space, it’s about the “lifestyle.” In other words, a BMW station wagon in the States is a fashion statement against the suburban SUV hegemony.
This sudden realization comes after BMW was “surprised” by the rapturous reception of the M5 Touring. Apparently, Munich didn’t expect us to have eyes. Now, they’re finally whispering about bringing more long-roof options to our shores, potentially including the holy grail: the M3 Touring. But don’t get your hopes up for a standard 3 Series wagon. BMW knows the game: in the US, if it doesn’t have an “M” badge and enough horsepower to restart a dead planet, it’s dead on arrival.
The proof is in the graveyard. Volvo is struggling to justify keeping its “normal” wagons alive, and Subaru basically turned the Outback into a SUV just to survive. Meanwhile, Audi RS 6 Avant owners treat their wagons like high-performance toys while leaving the actual work to their pickup trucks. It’s a vanity project on wheels. Even Mazda is hinting at a wagon comeback, but only if they can hide the costs inside a modular EV platform. As for Audi, they are still playing it safe, keeping the new RS 5 Avant away from North America, likely terrified it might cannibalize RS 6 sales.
If BMW keeps winning with this “aesthetic-first” strategy, Ingolstadt will have to stop biting its nails and join the fight. The era of the boring wagon is dead. Long live the overpriced, overpowered, and undeniably long-roof.
