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BMW 5-Series History

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INTRODUCTION

This covers all the 5 series worldwide. These numbers come from all sorts of disparate literature, so there will be inconsistencies, especially from market to market. As you can see it's under construction. I've also averaged over model years when specs were similar over the years with the earlier body styles.

For those of you who also read the European literature I have conversion factors posted here.

 

1972 to 1981: 518, 520, 520i, 520-6, 525, 528, 528i, 530i, M535i

The first version from 1972 to 1981 was the E12 body style. It was styled by Paul Bracq.

The "i" signified fuel injection. Early models without the "i" were carbureted. Today all cars from every maker are injected.

The 520 and 520i were 4 cylinders. The 520-6 had the same displacement with six cylinders. Power is about the same in all of the 2.0 litre engines.

The 518 had 90 HP, the 2.0s had about 120 hp, the 525 had 150 HP, the 528s and 530 had about 170 HP and the M535i had 218 HP.

Not all these cars came to the USA.

 

1982 to 1988: 518, 518i, 520i, 524d, 524td, 525e, 525i, 528i, 533i, M535i, M5

The second version was the E28 body style. It introduced the fuel consumption gauge and service interval indicator in 1982.

Engine
Torque, Ft-Lbs
HP
0 - 60, sec.
518 *
I4 8V*
103
90
12.1
518i
I4 8V
107
105
11.7
520i
I6 12V
120
125
11.2
524d **
I6 12V
110
86
17.3
524td **
I6 12V Turbo
155
115
12.6
525e
I6 12V
110
125
11.7
525i
I6 12V
160
150
9.3
528i
I6 12V
177
184
7.9
533i
I6 12V
195
185
8
M535i
I6 12V
215
185
7.9
M5
I6 24V
250
286
6.5

* Carbureted
** Diesel, not sold in US

 

1989 to 1995: E34

The third body style was called the E34.

 
Engine
Torque, ft-lbs.
HP
0 - 60, sec.
518i
I4
120
113
11.6
518g ***
I4
125
115
12.3
520i
I6 12V
120
129
11.2
520i (1990 -)
I6 24V
140
150
10.7
525i
I6 12V
165
170
8.9
525i (1990-)
I6 24V
185
192
8.4
525td **
I6 **
165
115
12.6
525tds **
I6 Turbo **
190
143
11.2
525ix
I6
185
192
9.8
530i (87 - 90)
I6 12V
215
188
8.0
530i (92 - 95)
V8 32V
215
218
7.5
535i
I6 12V
225
211
7.2
540i
V8 32V
295
286
7.0
M5 (88 - 91)
I6 24V
265
315
6.1
M5 (92 - 95) ****
I6 24V
295
340
5.9

** Diesel. not sold in US
*** Flexible fuel,. also runs on natural gas for 105 Ft-lbs and 101 HP for 15.1s 0-60!
**** Not sold in US

 

1996

There was no 1996 model year 5 series in the USA.

BMW upped the 4.0 litre V8 to 4.4 litres, but kept the model numbers the same for some unknown reason. Thus the 1996 and newer 540i, 740i and 840i were really 545i, 745i and 845i.

 

1997 - 2003 E39

The previous and best version was the 1997 - 2003 E39.

 
Engine
Torque, ft-lbs.
HP
0 - 60, sec.
520i
I6 24V
148
160
9.5
520d **
I4 16V**
207
136
9.9
523i
I6 24V
180
170
7.9
525i
I6 24V
180
170
7.9
525tds **
I6 12V Turbo **
192
143
9.7
525d **
I6 24V **
258
163
8.3
528i
I6 24V
207
193
7.0
530d **
I6 24V **
303
193
7.3
530i
I6 24V
221
231
6.7
535i
V8 32V
250
240
6.5
540i
V8 32V
310 - 325
282 - 290
5.8
M5
V8 32V
369
398
4.9

** Diesel, not sold in US

 

2004 - 2010 E60

The current version since 2004 is the E60.

I have yet to meet anyone, except for my wife only drives an automatic and who feels no difference between a rental car and a real car, who likes anything about the appearance, handling, iDrive, or or anything about the E60.

Consumer Reports, who rated the E39 as their best car ever tested, put the E60 530i on top of their list of most disappointing new cars in 2005, I think the October issue.

 

2010 - F10

 

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