The first M5. BMW Motorsport hand-built the M88 inline-six from the M1 supercar into a 5 Series sedan, creating the super sedan category. Only 2,241 built. From the outside, virtually indistinguishable from a standard 535i.
History
The E28 M5 was the world's fastest production sedan when launched in 1985. BMW Motorsport took the M88/3 engine, a detuned version of the M1 supercar's powerplant, and fitted it into the E28 5 Series with minimal visual changes.
The engine produced 286 PS from 3.5 liters with individual throttle bodies, producing a top speed of 245 km/h. Each M88 was hand-assembled by a single technician at BMW Motorsport's facility.
The genius was in the subtlety. No body kit, no wing, no aggressive wheels. The E28 M5 looked like a standard executive sedan. Only the M badge on the trunk, the deeper front air dam, and the quad exhaust tips hinted at what lived under the hood.
2,241 were built across left-hand and right-hand drive markets. Today, clean E28 M5s command EUR 60,000 to EUR 120,000, recognized as the car that started the super sedan arms race.
Production & Heritage
Value estimates are editorial assessments based on recent auction results and market trends.
Technical Specifications
Engine Details
Performance
Tags
Designed by BMW M GmbH
From the 1980s
