50 years of the BMW 5 Series

Half-century hero

While the 3 Series is BMW’s bread-and-butter model, the 5 Series has played a significant role in cementing the Munich-based company’s status as a credible alternative to Mercedes-Benz.

Over the past five decades it has inaugurated new features that later trickled down to smaller models, blazed the design path that other members in the range followed, and set many benchmarks in terms of luxury, performance and technology.

Join us for a look at how the first four 5 Series models shaped BMW.

The original 5 Series (E12, 1972)

BMW introduced the first-generation 5 Series at the 1972 Frankfurt motor show to replace its line of ‘New Range’ models.

Early on, the saloon was a four-cylinder-only affair: the range consisted of the carburetted 520, which was rated at about 115bhp, and the fuel-injected 520i, which offered 130bhp. 

The original 5 Series (cont.)

The E12’s subtle and elegant exterior lines were the work of French designer Paul Bracq, and the 5 helped usher in the design language that characterised most of BMW’s cars during the 1970s and well into the 1980s.

Its influence didn’t stop there: from launch in 1972 it also inaugurated the naming system that the company still uses in 2022. The 3 Series, 6 Series and 7 Series didn’t arrive until 1975, 1976 and 1977, respectively.

The 5 gets a ‘six’ (1973)

BMW didn’t wait long to expand the 5 Series range.

In 1973 the 525 was introduced, which stood proud as the first 5 Series powered by a six-cylinder engine. Called M30 internally, and used in the 5’s predecessor, the engine was initially rated at 145bhp.

Every 5 Series to date has been available with a straight-six engine.

M’s South African 5 (1976)

Built by BMW of South Africa to satisfy homologation requirements, the 530 MLE (Motorsport Limited Edition) offered enthusiasts 197bhp from a 3.0-litre straight-six engine, it received suspension updates, and it wore a sporty-looking exterior design.

Production ended in 1977 after precisely 227 units were built. This rare, highly sought-after variant of the E12 was exclusively made and sold in South Africa.

The M535i (1980)

BMW laid the foundations for the M5 when it launched the M535i in 1980. Visually, a front splitter, a bootlid-mounted spoiler and 14-inch BBS wheels were among the styling cues that set the M535i apart from other variants of the E12.

Bigger changes were found under the bonnet, where BMW fitted a 3.5-litre straight-six rated at 218bhp. Suspension modifications were part of the package as well.

While the M535i was not a high-volume model, it proved that buyers were very interested in a spicier 5 Series.

The second-generation 5 (E28, 1981)

Called E28 internally, the second-generation BMW 5 Series landed in 1981 with a more angular design penned by Claus Luthe and several significant improvements that buyers welcomed.

Its interior was more spacious, though its exterior dimensions hadn’t grown significantly, and it featured a newly developed suspension system that delivered a more comfortable ride without sacrificing handling.

The second-generation 5 (cont.)

The second-generation 5 Series again came as standard with a four-cylinder engine, but this time a straight-six was available from the get-go.

At the bottom of the global range, the 518 model was powered by a carburetted, 1.8-litre four-cylinder rated at 90bhp.

At the top end of the hierarchy, the 528i’s fuel-injected, 2.8-litre straight-six put 184bhp under the driver’s right foot. 

The first diesel-powered 5 Series (1983)

Largely motivated by its peers and rivals, BMW gradually warmed to the idea of offering a diesel-powered car in the early 1980s.

Its first diesel landed as the 524td in 1983 with a 2.4-litre turbodiesel straight-six under the bonnet. This model delivered relatively good performance, and it was popular enough to warrant the launch of a normally aspirated model in 1985.

And, somewhat surprisingly, the 524td’s six-cylinder engine also found its way into the Lincoln Continental in the United States.

The first M5 (1985)

Launched in early 1985, the first-generation M5 picked up where the E12-based M535i left off with more of everything.

It gained a 3.5-litre straight-six related to the engine that powered the M1 and tuned to develop 286bhp as well as suspension improvements that made it one of the best-handling saloons of its time.

It wasn’t a stripped-out track car, however: buyers could order full leather upholstery and air conditioning, among other features. BMW made 2241 units of the original M5.

The third-generation 5 Series (E34, 1988)

While the E28 could be seen as an evolution of the E12, the third-generation 5 Series (called E34 internally) was completely different from its predecessor.

It was bigger and more comfort-oriented to fend off competition from the Mercedes-Benz W124, among other saloons, yet it continued to put a major focus on driving dynamics.

At launch, the BMW E34 was exclusively offered with straight-six engines.

The third-generation 5 Series (E34, 1988)

The BMW E34’s engine options varied from country to country.

Globally, the entry-level 520i used a 2.0-litre straight-six tuned to 148bhp and the range-topping 535i benefited from a 3.5-litre straight-six rated at 208bhp.

BMW made a turbodiesel-powered model, the 114bhp 524td, available at launch. 

The second-generation M5 (1988)

This time, BMW didn’t make enthusiasts wait several years for the range-topping E34.

The second-generation M5 made its debut in 1988 with a 3.6-litre straight-six engine rated at 315bhp. It didn’t stray far from its predecessor’s values: it offered a luxurious interior, sports car-like performance and a subtle exterior design.

The year 1992 brought a bigger, 3.8-litre evolution of the straight-six that delivered 335bhp.

The first all-wheel-drive 5 Series (1991)

BMW’s E34 has several firsts on its CV that, in hindsight, allow it to bridge the gap between the older 5 Series models and the variants that followed.

Permanent all-wheel-drive (called xDrive in BMW-speak) was added to the range for the first time in 1991, though it wasn’t offered on all versions. The system was only available on the 525i, which became the 525iX, and it added a locking rear differential.

14. The first 5 Series estate (1992)

It took BMW two decades to steer the 5 Series into estate territory.

Released in 1992, the Touring was developed to offer roughly the same level of interior noise as the saloon, which was a tall order to fill considering the more spacious cabin.

BMW offered the Touring with nearly the same set of engines as the saloon, and buyers could order the 525i with the xDrive all-wheel-drive system. Here again, this decision had a lasting impact on the 5 Series range: every 5 Series to date has spawned a Touring. 

The first V8-powered 5 Series (1992)

BMW also waited 20 years to drop a V8 in the 5’s engine bay. It released a pair of eight-cylinder-powered models called 530i and 540i, respectively, in 1992 and positioned them at the top of the non-M-tuned range.

The V8 hasn’t left the 5 Series line-up since. At the other end of the spectrum, BMW also offered an entry-level E34 called 518i that was powered by a 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine.

The fourth-generation 5 Series (E39, 1995)

Unveiled at the 1995 Frankfurt motor show, and called E39 internally, the fourth-generation 5 Series adopted a more rounded look that fell in line with the design trends of the 1990s.

The twin headlights remained but they were mounted behind a glass panel, a styling cue borrowed from the E36-generation 3 Series.

The evolutions were more than skin deep: the E39 also gained a much longer list of technology features, and it relied extensively on aluminium (including in the suspension) to keep weight in check.

The fourth-generation 5 Series (E39, 1995)

Like the E34, the E39 was released with six-cylinder engines. The bottom rung in the line-up was occupied by the 520i, which got a 2.0-litre straight-six rated at 148bhp.

At the top end, the 528i came with a 2.8-litre straight-six tuned to 190bhp. The engine palette grew in 1996, a year after the E39’s introduction, with a pair of V8-powered models called 535i (232bhp) and 540i (282bhp), respectively, and two turbodiesel-powered models named 525td (114bhp) and 525tds (141bhp), respectively.

The second-generation 5 Series Touring (1997)

The E34-generation Touring proved that there existed a market for a 5 Series estate, especially in Europe.

Its replacement, the E39-based Touring, made its debut in 1997 with a more spacious interior and the same level of technology and luxury as the saloon. It also kept the self-levelling rear suspension.

The third-generation M5 (1998)

Celebrated by many enthusiasts as the best of its breed, the third-generation M5 landed in 1998 with a 4.9-litre V8 under the bonnet.

Exclusively bolted to a six-speed manual transmission, the 400bhp eight-cylinder stood out as the most powerful series-produced engine that BMW had ever built and the first V8 fitted to the M5. This tradition continues in 2022.

The weight-saving measures applied to the standard E39 made the M5 stunningly good to drive in spite of its relatively big dimensions.

By the numbers

Each variant of the 5 Series outsold its predecessor.

BMW built almost 700,000 units of the E12, more than 722,000 units of the E28, over 1.3 million units of the E34 (including roughly 125,000 Touring models), and 1.47 million units of the E39.

The five millionth 5 Series was made in January 2008. 

The modern-day 5 Series

In its seventh generation as of 2022, the 5 Series remains a core part of the BMW range. It’s still offered as a saloon and as an estate, and buyers have a wide palette of engines to choose from.

One of the most notable recent evolutions of the 5 Series is the M5 CS; it’s already a collector’s item.

Only available during the 2022 model year, it gets a 626bhp V8 and a long list of carbonfibre parts to save weight.