BMW’s second-generation M5 followed the same recipe as the outgoing E28; manual transmission, rear-drive, howling inline-6 under the hood. But the E34 was far from a copy of the car that was really credited with being the first super sedan. BMW upped with power first with the 3.6-liter version of the S38; though the increase in displacement was a scant 82 ccs, the result was impressive. BMW Motorsport GmbH fit a new cam, a higher compression head, and a new engine management system to yield 311 horsepower at a rev-busting 6,900 rpm.
While the E34 M5 was available on these shores far longer than the E28, there weren’t a ton imported – especially towards the end of the run. Today’s example is a beauty, too, in Calypso Red with M System II “throwing stars”. While it’s no spring chicken, to me it still represents good value in today’s market:
