1988 BMW M5 The Ultimate Driving Machine

M5 is a performance version of BMW's 5-Series and created by BMW Motorsports. First introduced at the Amsterdam Motor Show in 1984, the M5 has been made from various 5-Series versions throughout the years, including the E28, E34, E39 and E60. Originally, the M5 was hand-built utilizing the 535i chassis and a modified BMW M1 engine. When introduced, it was the fastest production saloon car in the world.

In 1984 BMW offered multiple versions of the M5 to accommodate the different markets and the rules that governed the production of vehicles in each of those areas. There were Left Hand Drives, Right Hand Drives, Euro Specs, North American Spec (NA), and South African (ZA) Spec M5. The North American M5 versions were equipped with a catalytic converter which degraded the horsepower from 286 to 256. With the 286 horsepower engine, the Euro spec M5's could race from zero to sixty in just 6.2 seconds. The North American specs accomplished the sixty-mile-an-hour run in 6.5 seconds.

The production of the M5 on the E28 series platform lasted from 1984 through 1986. From 1989 through 1995 the M5 was produced on the E34 platform. For the North American market, production of the E34 M5 was from 1991 through 1993 and continued the tradition of being hand built usually in teams and transpiring over a two week time period.

Under the hood was a modified inline-six cylinder engine from the E28 M5 and the E24 M635CSi. The bore and stroke were enlarged to a total capacity of 3535 cc and a compression of 10:1. Unique to the M5 engine were a new forged steel crankshaft, camshafts, and electronically controlled butterfly valve. The result was 3.6 liters and 315 horsepower. The US and Switzerland versions received catalytic converters and a lower horsepower rating, 310. Power was dispersed to the rear wheels with the help of a Getrag 280/5 five-speed manual transmission. Standard was a limited slip differential with a maximum locking of twenty-five percent.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• BMW
• M5
• 1988
• Ultimate. Driving Machine
• Walkaround
• car
• luxury
• engineering
• visual
• Style

[1951carrie]

Great vdeo. Proably the best all around video for a "car for sale" that I have seen. I have a 1988 535i (non M5) myself. Love the cars, Thanks!

[MikeLenoch5]

Driver is douchey.

[youhan1234567]

getting this car tonight but mayn is gray and need knew battrey

[jake112354]

Nice ride, my parents had a black 88 M6, and I am getting an 88 535i tomorrow

[e30m3drift]

nice car but i would way rather an 1988 m3

[VantageCigarretes]

286bhp, but for us its close to 250hp

[cmerz199]

u talk like ur pinching ur nose haha

[krankl1978]

Very nice Car!

[milkphish2]

Wait! Does this have a new radiator??!

[bugsy791]

omg. nice ride man. i have a 1994 520i but with the 528 engine in it...