[EUPremier]

Hi Folks,

I made a quick video to show the OEM towbar on the G90 M5.

Great feature to enable bikes be easily carried or for accessories like the Thule tow boxes to be mounted on the vehicle.

[Crazy1323]

I may have to try and import one of these….

I wonder if it fits the Touring.

[EUPremier]

Originally Posted by Crazy1323

I may have to try and import one of these….

I wonder if it fits the Touring.

Can you not order from your dealer as part of your build?

You definitely do not want to be attempting a retrofit.

I covered in a separate post, here.

[Crazy1323]

Originally Posted by EUPremier

Can you not order from your dealer as part of your build?

You definitely do not want to be attempting a retrofit.

I covered in a separate post, here.

Generally these cannot be ordered at all in the US. Towing in Europe has much different regulations than in the US. You are often tower much lighter trailers at lower speeds than here in the US. Because people in the US are idiots, the don’t even sell the hitches with a very low weight rating.

For example, Audi has something almost identical for the A6/RS6 but it cannot be ordered in the US. Your only option is to purchase from someone in Europe willing to ship it to you. You are on your own for figuring out how to code it.

We also use different sized balls here in the US, so hitches are often interchangeable. In the US when a car has a tow package it often has a 2” square receiver on the back. This receiver can then have many different types of things connected to it.

[EUPremier]

Originally Posted by Crazy1323

Generally these cannot be ordered at all in the US. Towing in Europe has much different regulations than in the US. You are often tower much lighter trailers at lower speeds than here in the US. Because people in the US are idiots, the don’t even sell the hitches with a very low weight rating.

For example, Audi has something almost identical for the A6/RS6 but it cannot be ordered in the US. Your only option is to purchase from someone in Europe willing to ship it to you. You are on your own for figuring out how to code it.

We also use different sized balls here in the US, so hitches are often interchangeable. In the US when a car has a tow package it often has a 2” square receiver on the back. This receiver can then have many different types of things connected to it.

I’m surprised that the ‘cultural’ differences are so different US Vs EU.

For starters, the vehicles do have towing limits. For sure, an electrically articulating ball hitch is not as strong as a fixed one. But, ‘not as strong as’ does not mean it’s weak either if you catch my drift.

Towing caravans is big in the UK & Continental Europe and they’re not too light.

As for towing speeds:

80km/h (50mph) is legal towing speed limit
A twin-axle trailer may only be towed by a vehicle with four driven wheels. (Ireland).

That 2”Sq. hitch. Wouldn’t really suit the G90/99, eh! More F150 than M5!

I would be more than happy to help you out with shipping… you can land that to my address in Ireland and happy to forward. I think many suppliers in EU would have no issue shipping direct though?

Per my other post, however, it’s no small job to retrofit. I’m not sure about the G90/99 but it’s a massive job on the G05 X5 if you’re to do per factory spec.

[Crazy1323]

Our equivalent of motorways is called the Interstate system. Most of these have speed limits of 75mph, some have speed limits as high as 85. It is fairly common for the flow of traffic to be 10-15mph faster than the speed limit. Traveling at 50mph on these roads would be incredibly dangerous. Also, many of these roads have a minimum speed, for example you may not be allowed to go slower than 70mph in some parts.

Our trailers are also a lot heavier. In the EU most trailers do not weigh more than 750kg or else the rules are stricter, but in the US I have several trailers that unloaded weigh substantially more than this.

If those tow bars are designed for lighter loads at slower speeds, Americans can’t be trusted not to use them in our environment. This is probably why they don’t sell them.

We simply use much heavier trailers and travel at much faster speeds with them. This is why the US uses the more heavy duty fixed hitches on vehicles.

[BimmerBahn]

Originally Posted by Crazy1323

Our equivalent of motorways is called the Interstate system. Most of these have speed limits of 75mph, some have speed limits as high as 85. It is fairly common for the flow of traffic to be 10-15mph faster than the speed limit. Traveling at 50mph on these roads would be incredibly dangerous. Also, many of these roads have a minimum speed, for example you may not be allowed to go slower than 70mph in some parts.

-snip-

We simply use much heavier trailers and travel at much faster speeds with them. This is why the US uses the more heavy duty fixed hitches on vehicles.

US Interstate system-wide minimum speed is 40 MPH/64 KPH

+1 for American’s doing stupid things behind the wheel…. I’m reminded of this every time I travel to the EU. I’m also reminded of how little road debris I see when traveling over here.. unlike the States where I lose count of the number of road gators/tire tread and other crap found on the highway.

[vansonrider]

I lived in Germany for five and a half years. I come back to Texas and it's more evident how bad drivers are here and how much crap is in the roads. I hope can find a hidden hitch for my M5 touring if and when I get one. Bikes on the roof look cool but kill the drag.

[EUPremier]

Originally Posted by vansonrider

I lived in Germany for five and a half years. I come back to Texas and it's more evident how bad drivers are here and how much crap is in the roads. I hope can find a hidden hitch for my M5 touring if and when I get one. Bikes on the roof look cool but kill the drag.

I have a post about this somewhere else on this forum… but there’s an awful lot more to a factory hitch than just the towball. They upgrade cooling and electrics.
If you’re ordering… put pressure on your dealer to get you the Euro one maybe?
Failing that, PF Jones in the UK are a reliable supplier. They don’t have a unit for G9x yet though.

[sxychubles]

Reviving this. Anyone have any more info on getting the eu one installed on a NA car?

[EUPremier]

Originally Posted by sxychubles

Reviving this. Anyone have any more info on getting the eu one installed on a NA car?

When you say, ‘more info’, are you asking whether it can be ordered at NA dealers?

Or, are you seeking info on retrofitment?

Detail on the latter is included in a previous post of mine. It’s complex and far more expensive than a day 1 order.