Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
If the BMW 530i we featured over the weekend didn’t satisfy your horsepower needs, then here is another example of the real deal, the M5. These sedans almost perfected the formula of combining supercar performance with four-door practicality. A decade on since production halted, they are still revered as much as they were when they were new. This M5 for sale in North Carolina looks downright immaculate for a car with over 80,000 miles on the clock, certainly the product of a fastidious owner.
Not a week goes by it seems that we don’t feature an E39 BMW 5 series of some sort. Generally we like to hone in on the V8 engined fast Fives, but the bread and butter E39s in the US market were the ones equipped with the inline-6 under the hood. This 2003 530i represents the last year for the E39 and the sunset on this particular chapter in BMW design language. Equipped with the sports package and a 5-speed manual gearbox, it is sort of junior version of the M5 for those who may be scared off by the running costs and thirst of the Motorsports beast.
As I continue on my van kick, today we’ll look at a couple of clean Eurovans that have a lot of life left in them but won’t break the bank. Maligned as the lamer, less-fun, front-engined descendent of the Bus and Vanagon. They’re a heck of a lot more authentic and European than the Routan, that’s for sure.
The first option is from the final year of the Eurovan, and it comes in the great, Estoril-esque Techno Blue.
In last week’s 10K Practical Performance Edition, a question arose of what was the best ‘Bahn burner for under $15,000. My immediate answer was the Audi S8. It might not be as powerful as the E39 M5 or a slew of Mercs that are available for around the same amount, but the combination of the all-aluminum engine and space frame gives the large executive a smaller feel on the road – and with 360 horsepower, it’s no slouch. It’s also got a great all-wheel drive system; quattro purists don’t love the electronic differentials, but truth told on the fly they work reasonably well and you don’t have to muss and fuss. This isn’t a rally car, anyway. But it is a great looker – the interior and exterior are a beautiful combination of style and presence that few others match. There just aren’t any awkward angles on the D2 in my mind. So, today I’ve rounded up a few examples with the help of our reader, John. Ranging from a first run 6-speed through a last of the D2 2003 model, which would be your color?
One of the things I love most about these 10K posts is the breadth of selections and ideas that I dream up to try to pull together. Today’s thought was about practical performance – what’s the most your can buy for $10,000? As a result, we have quite a diverse selection to make it through today, ranging from a 2.0 TDi gas sipper through a 5.5 liter, twin-turbocharged V12 torque monster. In their respective ways, each is a great car (at least, in premise) and probably defines its category. What’s your favorite of this group?