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On its own, the BMW E39 540i M-Sport is an outstanding car in its own right. A sonorous V8, available 6-speed manual and M-Technic suspension added to what was already a quite capable mid-sized executive sedan. However, hovering over the entire E39 lineup was the M5, what is considered by most to be one of the most legendary super saloons to grace God’s green earth. This 400 horsepower beast still dominates the enthusiast scene, taking its place right alongside the Mercedes-Benz 500Es and succession of Audi S4/S6/S8s on the who’s who list of fast four-doors. One could consider the 540i M-Sport an almost M5-light. After speaking with a former colleague yesterday evening who happens to own a 2003 540i M-Sport with a 6-speed manual, the allure of this car is clear. This example for sale in New York happens to be one equipped with the automatic gearbox, perfect for those who might do a little bit more around town driving than the long-haul jaunts.
One of my favorite vehicle genres is the beefed up sports sedan. Cars such as the Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3 and E28 BMW M5 were some of the originators of the breed, but I think many of us can agree that BMW reached a watershed moment with the E39 M5. This car was many things to many people, but for me, it represented exactly what a man’s car should be. A car with some size and heft to it, eight cylinders, six speeds and an aggressive stance with meaty rubber to lay all that horsepower down to the pavement. This M5 for sale in California looks great in Alpine White, an not often seen color for this brute. This one is a three owner car with a bit of tuning thrown in the mix. With 55k miles on the clock, it should have a few ///M car nuts salivating.
The eta-engined BMWs from the late-80s may be maligned, as are automatic BMWs in general, for placing comfort and efficiency above sportiness – a confusing conflict for the Ultimate Driving Machine. As the 80s drift further into our collective rearview mirror, however, any clean example deserves plenty of love. This 528e has survived beautifully with just a few blemishes over almost 30 years and has tons of life left after just 113k miles. Please, someone, buy this as a daily driver or a first car for your kid and keep the E28 population living strong!
I may be in the minority that love the big-bumpered US-spec E28 M5, but I can’t deny how sweet the M535i is. It may be down about 35hp to the US M5 and almost 70 to the European models and lack the hand-built allure, but one look at this outstanding Zinnoberrot example and all that seems to become less important. The bodykit extends down while the small bumpers keep things tight, then beautiful black-centered BBS rims sync up perfectly with the Shadowline trim. We saw another red, right-hand drive M535i from Florida a few months back, but this car definitely has a different VIN and really shows what a clean interior and the right wheels can do for a car. Maybe some wannabe Sultan of Brunei Florida weirdo has just been sitting on a garage full of these? If so, he may want to wait a little longer as these are one of the few M-badged 80s Bimmers that are having a tough time cracking $10k.
Wagons are the GCFSB car of choice, if you haven’t noticed. Only our resident Volkswagen/Audi guru Carter is flying the five-door flag, however, with his 2002 Volkswagen Passat 1.8T Variant 5-speed manual. While I sit here and wait for the perfect 1995 Audi S6 Avant to come along, I’ll admire this 2002 BMW 540i Touring for sale in Portland, Oregon. It looks like a real beast, and with Dinan engine mods and a worked over suspension, it’s almost like the M5 Touring that never was.
