EDIT 3/25/16 – Thanks to our reader Mark who alerted us that this car is misrepresented since he actually owns #4. Further detective work by our readers has shown this is actually an M540i number 3/32 but without its original M540i details. Thanks to our knowledgeable readership for scrutinizing!
Here’s a rare slice of BMW M-car, one of the 32 examples of the Canada-only E34 M540i. These were built by BMW Individual at the time, and were a far cry from the badge-happy ///M340iMsportEfficientDynamics, creating the have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too of 90s Bimmers by taking the E34 M5’s chosen-one suspension and brakes and mating it with the 540i’s grunty V8 and 6-speed fun-lever.
So, sounds like an amazing find, especially with a No-Reserve Auction starting at $4,999. A shockingly low number for such a rare 5er, but its had 10 owners in just 101.5k miles, and it needs shocks, springs, mounts, fan shrouds, cosmetics… it needs. The interior looks to be in good shape, as does the trunk, but the engine bay remains a mystery. If you’re handy with the E34 platform, you’ll probably have a wealth of options to take get it awesome, but you could probably have a sharp-looking, now intelligently-modified M540i that lives up to its name.
Click for details: 1995 BMW M540i on eBay
Year: 1995
Model: M540i
Engine: 4.0 liter V8
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Mileage: 101,990 mi
Price: No-Reserve Auction
Up for sale m 540 i manual 6 speed (4 of 32),101 xxx miles,engine powerful transmission smooth,car needs 4 shocks,springs&mounts,no fan shroud,and some cosmetics.car runs and drives strong. selling the car as-is,if you have question let me know.Thanks
Sharpened up, this M540i could appreciate quickly and be a blast to drive. Taking the time and energy to work out the kinks – which are notably the most basic items on the car to repair, thankfully not electrical or inside the engine – and this could be strong in the teens. Let’s hope someone sees the opportunity and gives this 1-of-32 the life it deserves.
-NR
Incredibly rare car. Also an incredible basket case. Run far away. The only reason I could think of to buy this would be if you got it cheaply enough and parted it out as E34 M parts are now at a premium and many are NLA from BMW.
we all know what an M540i is…but this particular car
PA tags, being sold in Brooklyn, wires hanging out the dash..what could possibly be wrong?
Wow. Didn’t even realIze that this was in the states. Yeah, the only ones I’ve seen have been up here in Canada. I’m happy with my 1990 Euro M5, thanks very much. Although the cost of S38 parts makes one of these in good shape a compelling alternative.
Guys,
Just letting you know this is a fake example of a Canadian BMW M540i on e-Bay – I have the real BMW M540i 04/32 in Cosmos Black – obviously you can see this one is White, the Brakes are not the free-floating caliper type and the plaque to signify it came from the BMW M-factory is not there as well.
Regards,
Mark
Yeah the more I look at it, the more I think he’s right. Looks like a manual 540i with some M bits slapped on.
@Mark, thanks very much for the information! I’ll update the post accordingly. We appreciate the information!
Best,
Carter
This might be a 540i M-Sport, which was a US only option (and an overrated one) but it is absolutely not an actual M540i.
Dead-giveaways that are:
(a) the wood trim (it was CF in the M540i),
(b) lack of serial-numbered plaque on center console;
(c) the fact that the speedometer is clearly in MPH…which would not be the case for a Canada-only model;
(d) wrong brakes and suspension.
Yeah good call on the speedo. That’s definitely the easiest way to tell. All Canadian and euro BMWs have speedo in KM only (unless US models which have both)
This is a real M540i. It is actually #3.
All the goodies have been removed and are now living on a red 540i M-sport in Oregon.
Here’s the thread.
http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?2288760-Msport-or-no
Nice to see it is an original 1995 M540i if this is the case however all the value has been stripped from it by I guess the previous owner? Little does he know that the value of the car complete will hold better valuation down the road., shame to remove all the original components from this car and put it on the red one instead, however to each his own. I tried letting the guy posting the e-Bay auction know to update and correct the auction ad of this car especially the designated number of 03/32 being the correct one and the missing original components however seems that his e-mail restrictions could not deliver the response (server could be down).
Cheers,
Mark
Wow, thats ridiculous. I cannot understand why anyone would ruin such an incredibly rare and interesting piece of BMW history like that. Not cool.