BMW M5

The BMW M5 is a high-performance version of the BMW 5 Series automobile developed by BMW's motorsport division, BMW M GmbH, built from 1992 to 1995, 2006 to 2010, and since 2024. The M5 has continuously been produced in the saloon body style, in some countries also as a estate.

The first M5 model was hand-built beginning in late 1984 on the E28 535i chassis with a modified engine from the M1 that made it the fastest production saloon at the time. M5 models have been produced for every generation of the 5 Series since 1984, with occasional gaps in production (1995 to 1998, 2023 to 2024).

The first BMW M5, based on the E28 5 Series, was manufactured from October 1984 to June 1988. It made its debut at the Amsterdam Motor Show in February 1985. It was based on the 535i chassis with various mechanical changes, most notably the M88/3 engine (shared with the E24 M635CSi grand tourer coupé) which was an updated version of the engine used in the M1 sports car. At its launch, the E28 M5 was the fastest production saloon in the world.

The official markets for the E28 M5 were Europe, Great Britain, the United States, Canada, and South Africa. The European and South African cars used the M88/3 engine which has a power output of 210 kW (286 PS; 282 hp).

Cars sold in the United States and Canada used a detuned version of the M88/3 called the S38B35, which was equipped with a catalytic converter and has a power output of 191 kW (256 hp). Due to an extended production run that exceeded BMW's original forecast of production volumes, a class action lawsuit was launched by owners in the United States. The results of this class action was that owners were given a voucher for US$4,000 in 1993. Production of North American specification M5 commenced in November 1986 and ended in November 1987.

Aside from 96 cars which were assembled in kit form at BMW's Plant in Rosslyn, South Africa, all cars were assembled by hand in Germany. Assembly took place at BMW Motorsport's plant in Preussenstrasse in Munich prior to the 1986 factory summer vacation. Thereafter, the M5 production was moved to Daimlerstrasse in Garching where the remainder were built. Production of the M5 continued until November 1988, almost a year after BMW had ceased production of regular E28 models. With a total production of 2,241 units, the E28 M5 remains among the rarest regular production BMW Motorsport cars – after the M1 (456 units), M5 (E34) Touring (891 units) and the 850CSi (1,510 units).

The E34 generation of the M5 was produced from September 1988 to August 1995. Powered by the S38 straight-six engine, an evolution of the previous generation's straight-six, the E34 was initially produced in a saloon body style, with a second LHD Touring (estate/wagon) version following in 1992.

Production of M5 models began with the painted bodyshell of an E34 5 Series at the BMW Dingolfing plant. The shells were then transported to BMW M GmbH in Garching, where the car was assembled by hand over a period of two weeks. Only the South African M5 was entirely assembled at the Rosslyn, South Africa assembly plant from complete knock-down kits supplied from Garching, Germany. The M5 Touring, which was BMW M Division's first estate as well as the last hand-built M car, saw 891 units produced. Total production of the E34 M5 was 12,254 units, of which 8,344 were 3.6-litre and 3,910 were 3.8-litre. In the North American market, only the 3.6-litre version was sold (model years 1991–1993).