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1995 BMW M540i

1995 BMW M540i

Published March 23, 2016 by Nate

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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

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Row Your Own? 2000 BMW 528iT v. 2003 BMW 540iT

Row Your Own? 2000 BMW 528iT v. 2003 BMW 540iT

Published February 28, 2016 by Carter

I have a bit of an interesting comparison today, and I think in many ways it’s harder than it would first appear to be. If you said to most enthusiasts “Would you rather have a manual or automatic?”, the collective ire of autophiles towards self-controlled cars is akin to suggestion a revision to the 2nd Amendment at a NRA rally. And outwardly, today’s two E39 5-series wagons seem quite similar. But they represent two different directions for BMW and I think it will be interesting to see which foot enthusiasts land on. So, what would it be, then – a 5-speed 528i Sport Touring or a 5-speed (automatic) 540i M-Sport Touring?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2000 BMW 528i Touring on eBay

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1995 BMW 540i M Sport

1995 BMW 540i M Sport

Published December 22, 2015 by Paul

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After the Japanese started an onslaught on the mid-sized luxury sedan sector in the 1990s, the Germans were caught a bit off guard. Sure, Audi had already introduced the V8, but it was aimed slightly higher up in the market than the BMW 5 series and the Mercedes-Benz E-class. Nevertheless, both BMW and Mercedes-Benz decided it was high time to jam an eight cylinder powerplant under the hood of their venerable mid-sized offerings. This E34 5 series would receive two V8s, a 3.0 liter and 4.0 liter. This 1995 540i M Sport represents the last year for the E34 but has been likened as an “M5 lite” by enthusiasts. Given that E34 M5 sales ended in 1993, it gave those speed freaks out there one last chance to get a fast five before the E39 would come along in 1996.

Click for details: 1995 BMW 540i M Sport on eBay

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What Might Have Been: 2001 BMW M5 Touring Clone

What Might Have Been: 2001 BMW M5 Touring Clone

Published December 10, 2015 by Paul

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Throughout the years, BMW has only officially produced two generations of the BMW M5 Touring. The brawny E39 M5 was not one of them. However, BMW did create a one-off example as a study, but decided it wasn’t financially prudent to go ahead with production. This hasn’t stopped enthusiasts from trying to recreate what might have been. This 2001 540i Touring for sale in New York has been given the full M5 treatment, right down to the M5 Sport button which is functional. Looking to give the odd AMG Estate out there a run for its money? You’ll want to look this fast Five over a little bit further.

Click for details: 2001 BMW M5 Touring on Craigslist New York City

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2001 BMW 540i 6-speed

2001 BMW 540i 6-speed

Published October 24, 2015 by Nate

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The E39 M5 is certainly the king of the hill when it comes to balanced and clean super sedans. It has enough power to blow the doors off of most sports cars, inherent chassis balance to make twisties fun, enough luxury to make you feel great, and styling that deftly melds classy and aggressive. While the M5 deservedly gets a hefty share of 5-series fandom, the E39 540i approaches many of those capabilities at a fraction of the cost – both up-front and in maintenance. The available 6-speed manual further bolsters its driver’s-car cred, creating a slick executive sedan that chooses subtlety and quiet capability over M-powered and -badged bragging rights.

This beautiful grey example came to our attention thanks to reader John. For sale in Orange County, it has just about every option and has been owned by a “super anal BMW enthusiast.” I’m sure there are plenty of jokes there for BMW haters but we’ll focus on the intent, which is corroborated by beautiful presentation inside and out and with a strong list of maintenance over the last couple of years. The sharp cross-haired, M5-aping M-tech front fascia wasn’t available until 2003, meaning this 540i gets the exceedingly simple narrow oval aperture shared with the lower 525i and 530i. All the better for flying under the radar while the 282hp V8 and 6-speed create plenty of smiles. Perfect Style 32 wheels complete a package that doesn’t stand out but does stand up to the test of time. With a diligent owner and just 107k miles, this can make an outstanding highway commuter for years to come.

Click for details: 2001 BMW 540i on eBay

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