The BMW M5 is the high-performance version of the 5-Series automobile made by BMW Motorsport. M5 versions of the E28, E34, E39 and E60 5-Series have been made.
E28 M5
The first M5, based on the E28 5-Series, made its debut at the 1984 Amsterdam Motor Show . It was the product of demand for an automobile with the carrying capacity of a saloon car, but the overall performance of a sports car. It utilized the 535i chassis and an evolution of the engine from the BMW M1. The M5 was handbuilt by Motorsport technicians and at its launch was the fastest production saloon car in the world.
The M5 was offered in four different versions. The first version was the Left Hand Drive (LHD) Euro Spec M5. The second version was the Right Hand Drive (RHD) Spec M5. The third version was the North American Spec (NA or so-called 1988) M5. The fourth version was the South African (ZA) Spec M5.
The LHD, RHD Euro Spec M5s and the ZA spec M5s had the M88/3 powerplant which delivered 286 bhp DIN (210 kW) whereas the North American '88 M5 was equipped with a catalytic converter which reduced the power output to 256 bhp DIN (191 kW).
E34 M5
The E34 M5 was produced from 1989-1995, although sales in North America started in 1991 and ended in 1993. It was produced at BMW M GmbH in Garching, Germany and like the previous M5, was entirely hand-built. It utilized the 535i chassis which were produced at BMW's Dingolfing plant. Assembly was done either by a single M employee or a team of M employees and generally took about two weeks. It is rumored that the test drivers of the E34 M5 could determine who or what team made each specific M5, due to characteristic quirks of the handbuilt nature of the E34 M5. The engines were also built by hand by BMW M technicians. All of the E34 M5 powerplants were built to 5% of advertised output.
The E34 M5 had a highly-tuned straight 6 engine called the S38B36. Originally it had a displacement of 3.6 L and produced 315 bhp (235 kW), except for cars sold in North America and Switzerland which, due to a different catalytic converter, produced 310 bhp (231 kW). All cars came with manual transmissions.
In 1992 the engine displacement was increased to 3.8 L with the S38B38, except in North America, which continued with the 3.6 L engine. Power was now increased to 340 hp (254 kW) DIN. Also in 1992, a Touring version was introduced.
The M5 came with an unusual wheel design. From 1988-1992 the M5 featured the M-System wheels. These wheels were 8x17J, but came with a bolted-on wheel cover. Under the cover was a black 5-spoke alloy wheel. The press was critical of the design, often claming it gave the M5 the appearance of having "white-wall" tires. In 1992 BMW changed the design and a new cover was produced – the M-System II. The original intent of the M-System cover was to direct more air to the brake assembly to increase cooling. The cover actually integrated a fin assembly behind the cover. The M-System II covers, known as the "throwing stars" did not have as much capability to direct air to the brake assemblies. In late 1994, the M5 came with M Parallel wheels that did away with the cover.
E39 M5
The E39 M5 was produced from 1998 to 2004 partly at BMW M GmbH in Garching and Dingolfing, Germany and like the previous M5, was entirely hand-built.
The E39 M5 had a highly tuned V8 engine based on the M62 engine called the S62, which displaced 4.9 L V8 and produced 394 hp (294 kW). The engine featured Double-VANOS, which varies the intake and exhaust valves for both cylinder banks, and individual throttle butterflies for each of the cylinders, allowing for a much faster engine response time.
E60 M5
The E60 M5 was introduced in 2004. It has a highly advanced naturally aspirated 5.0 L V10 engine red-lining at 8250 rpm and developing a peak output of 373 kW (507 hp). Other key features include a stiffened aluminum chassis and a 7-speed SMG III gearbox. The BMW M5, along with the new M6, were designed from the ground up to use the new SMG III. Therefore, they will initially only be offered with this new gearbox. There was a relative uproar amongst the fan and buyer-base when this was announced—however, BMW emphasized the technical infeasibility of offering a manual transmission without significantly raising the price on the car.
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