Even if the E39 BMW M5 (1998-2003) had never turned any of its four, bespoke 18in Chrome Shadow alloy wheels (they’re easy to kerb and about £150 each to repair), we’d still be talking about it for its exhaust note alone. Idling, the 394bhp 4.9-litre V8 with double Vanos variable valve timing, eight throttle bodies and a free-flow exhaust is full of menace. Provoked, it explodes into vein-popping rage.
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Parking the Lotus Carlton of 1990 conveniently to one side, the M5 is often credited with firing the starting gun on the modern-day saloon horsepower race, whose present pace-setters include the 552bhp M5 and 577bhp Mercedes-AMG E63 S. And the next M5 is expected to produce more than 600bhp.
But as any fule kno, it isn’t how fast you go, it’s how you get there – and getting there in the E39 M5 is still, 18 long years after the first cars took to the road, a thrilling and involving experience. BMW’s M division already had a great chassis to work with, to which it added beefed-up suspension, a limited-slip differential and sharper steering (no small achievement considering it was a recirculating ball set-up), while lowering the ride height. Ventilated discs allround and, by today’s standards, a rather interventionist ESP system (some owners switch it off) completed the changes. Add a Sport button and a six-speed manual gearbox (the throw is a little long but the shifts should be precise) and the M5 was ready to play.
And to work. Which is the great thing about the M5: not only does it delight your senses but it’ll also carry your briefcase and your family (and their luggage) as it does so. A worthwhile option was through-load rear seats. The interior is as tough as old boots (rattles are rare) and trimmed in high-quality leather. It’s why you need to probe it carefully for signs of abuse, because it’s too manly to let on. You’ll want for little in terms of equipment. Most cars had sat-nav, but subsequent owners will probably have swapped it for something more up to date. Options included massage seats, a TV and rear screens.
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Corrosion
It's the best car ever! Just
Ashton -
Great, but not the greatest in my book
In terms of model years, I would also add that the 2001-and-later models took care of the heavy oil drinking that the early models suffered from, so they're definitely preferable, although rarer as they novelty had worn off. They also had the later sat-navs and improved infotainment.