10 Things That Make The E60 BMW M5 Special!

The BMW M5 is a name that needs no introduction when it comes to performance sedans that can carry five people at insane speeds! The M5 was first introduced in the year 1984 and was based on the E28 5 Series sedan. It used a modified version of the engine used in the legendary BMW M1 sports car. The E60 M5 was the fourth generation of the M5 model line. It featured a brilliant 5.0-liter V-10 gasoline engine. In fact, it was the first production sedan in the world to feature a V-10 engine.

1 The E60 BMW M5 Featured A V-10 Engine

Thanks to the massive V-10 engine under the hood, the E60 M5 produced some mind-boggling power figures! Internally, the engine was codenamed S85. It produced a peak power of 500 horses at 7,750 rpm and 384 pound-feet (520 Nm) of torque at 6,100 rpm. Notably, this engine was specifically developed for the E60 M5 and was not based on any other engine. It was also used in the M6 model of the same generation. It had an official 0-62 mph time of 4.5 seconds. However, many real-world tests have achieved it in as low as 4.1 seconds.

2 A Manual Gearbox In A V-10 BMW M5 Sedan

Interestingly, the customers in North America had the option to spec their E60 M5 with a six-speed manual gearbox, unlike the European market, which had no such option. All markets except North America had the SMG gearbox as standard fitment. SMG gearbox was a single clutch automated manual transmission that had seven speeds. However, it was very jerky in its operation, and many purists hated it for the same reason. Even in terms of reliability, the SMG was extremely notorious to develop issues. Many purists went to the extent of importing manual gearbox-equipped M5 units to Europe from North America.

3 The E60 M5 Had An Exhaust Note That Was Akin To A Formula 1 Car

Thanks to the links of this V-10 engine to the BMW Sauber formula one program, even in its comparatively toned-down version in the sedan, the exhaust note was similar to the sound produced by a Formula One race car. Even though the engine was very distantly related to the BMW Sauber Formula One car, it still had the same character and was explosive considering it was being used in a family sedan!

4 The E60 M5 Offered Brilliant Handling

The E60 M5 had a beefed-up suspension as compared to the regular 5 Series sedan and hence, even with all that power, it handled absolutely brilliantly. To add to the fun-to-drive factor, it had a superbly calibrated hydraulic steering that communicated every little detail to the driver’s palms. This upped the fun quotient multiple times and also made the handling extremely predictable even for novice drivers. This was very important considering the massive power that it produced.

5 The E60 M5 Also Had The Usual M5 Traits

Despite boasting of some crazy power figures, the E60 M5 had the traditional M5 trait of carrying five passengers in comfort while being fast at the same time. The seats were very comfortable and supportive and holds the passengers tightly even while taking tight corners. In terms of space, too, the interiors have more sufficient room to seat five people comfortably. There's a considerable central tunnel that makes it a bit difficult for the rear middle passenger to get comfortable, but the seat itself is supremely comfortable.

6 The E60 M5 Had Controversial Looks

Ever since the E60 generation of the 5 Series was introduced, it divided opinions when it came to its looks. The Chris Bangle design has always been controversial for being a love-it or hate-it sort and the same trait was carried onto the M5 as well. Even though looks are totally subjective, many enthusiasts believe that the E60 M5 has aged pretty well in terms of design. It does not look like an 18-year-old car even today!

7 The E60 BMW M5 Had Quad Exhaust Tips

Silver 2005 BMW E60 M5 Sedan driving — BMW

The E60 M5 had quad exhaust tips that made it stand out. Back in the day, it was hard to find any other sedan that had quad exhaust tips! To add to the experience, it also had an amazing exhaust note. In fact, even today, finding a sedan that gets four proper functioning exhaust tips is very difficult. This also made the rear end of the E60 M5 look purposeful and gave a hint of the beast that lurked under the hood.

8 The E60 M5 Was Loaded With Technology

The E60 M5 was absolutely packed with features and every vital aspect of the car had multiple driver-selectable settings to mold it to individual tastes. For that brilliant engine, the default mode was the one that produced around 394 horses. One has to select the M mode to unleash all the 500 horses that this gem of an engine produces. It even had multiple modes for the gearbox shift times. Making the shift times faster also made them that much jerkier, however.

9 The M5 Was Also Available In A Touring Body Style

This generation of the M5 was also available in a touring body style and was officially called the E61. However, the wagon body style was available only in Europe. Typically, the estate or touring body style finds more takers in the European market and hence, BMW might have taken this decision, which actually makes the touring body style even rarer.

10 Is The E60 BMW M5 A Future Classic?

So, is the E60 M5 a future classic? Hell yeah! The unique nature that the special V-10 engine endows this generation of the M5 makes it an extremely appealing buy even today! In fact, it will start appreciating in value in the next few years and good well-kept examples would be hard to come by, especially the ones with the enthusiast's favorite six-speed manual gearbox. Back in the day, it would have cost around $84,000. The United States got around 8,800 examples of the E60 M5. Of these, the manual gearbox-equipped units were very rare. An SMG-equipped E60 M5 fetches around $25,000. However, the ones with the sweet six-speed manual can fetch around $10,000 more since it is the favorite among gearheads and much more reliable at the same time, and hence, is highly sought after! All in all, it is for sure a future classic that is already appreciating in value!