We're jumping back to the 80s — 1985, to be precise. Let's take a trip down memory lane...
...In April of 1985, Coca-Cola introduced “New Coke”, the worst marketing failure in history! Coca-Cola, a ninety-nine-year-old company back then, sought to update itself by changing the original formula of its iconic soft drink.
They created a sweeter version, though it wasn't preferred in taste tests and was met with much protest from their fans. In response to the backlash, Coca-Cola announced that it would return to its old formula and attempted to rebrand New Coke as “Coca-Cola Classic”...
Exactly like in that year a new Coke tried to rise; this was the first BMW M5 in the brand's history, out there, burning the streets.
Let’s step into the making of this stunning M5: The E28, designed by the legendary BMW designer Claus Luthe, was initially sold with a combination of relatively subdued four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines. In 1984, however, BMW introduced its first M5 model at the Amsterdam Motor Show!
It could reach a maximum speed of 156mph, which seemed surprising, especially in our power-crazed era!
It went from a standing start to 0-100km/h in 6.5 seconds with a top speed of 245km/h. Thus, it’s definitely a no-brainer that it was labeled as the fastest four-door sports sedan in the world.
Until today, it’s considered the car that represents the very foundation of sports sedan cars itself.
It was so unbelievable that even the Ferrari 328 had much less horsepower than an E28. Sounds crazy, right?
Despite its low-key appearance, the car was a thoroughbred under the hood: it used a version of BMW's famous 3.5-liter straight-six engine — the same one seen in their supercar, M1.
The E39 M5 was equipped with:
- A specially designed anti-lock braking system
- A more robust five-speed manual gearbox
- And a limited-slip differential, given the extra loads it had to contend with over regular 5 Series models
The vehicle also featured optional sports seats conspicuous for their thickly padded bolsters and embroidered ‘M’ logo on the backrests.
The M88/3 engine was notable for having a crossflow, light-alloy cylinder head, two overhead camshafts, and four valves per cylinder. Central spark plugs and digital electronics were also included in this design, along with individual throttle valves.
So, what about the price?.... The M5 was expensive, which is probably why it never sold in massive numbers.
Now, in a bright lachssilber metallic color, this car belongs to Luca, fully representing the spirit of the busy business life of the typical “Commendatore” from Milan in the 80s.
I know… I know…. you're wondering…. what a “ Commendatore” is?
In short, the term refers to an upstart, a wealthy businessman (100% from Milan) not necessarily noble, but one who has been able to make his or her own name by moving from a working-class origin to an affluent middle-class status.
But just listen to how Luca became the owner of this status symbol: His dad borrowed — with an excuse from his uncle — the BMW 520i he owned, which had the same feature. He did something crazy and gave a car dealer the 520i in exchange for the M5!
When Luca's dad came home to return the car to his uncle, Luca pretended to have rubbed the 520's bumper… His uncle then rushed down to the garage to look for the smear, and for a few minutes, he didn't even realize that it was an M5 instead of a 520i!
After a few years, Luca bought back the car from his uncle, refurbishing it.
Let’s talk about specs now: This car is powered by an internal combustion engine (ICE) with 6 cylinders in a straight line, which drives the rear wheels of the vehicle through a rear-wheel drivetrain.
Under the hood, the BMW M5 E28 packs a powerful punch with a 3.5-liter engine size that boasts 286 horsepower and 340 Newton-meters of torque. This car can reach a top speed of 245 km/h or 152.24 mph, and it can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.5 seconds or 0 to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds.
The BMW M5 E28 also offers a spacious cabin with a length of 4620 mm or 181.89 inches and a width of 1700 mm or 66.93 inches. Its curb weight is 1430 kg or 3152.61 pounds, with a gross weight of 1900 kg or 4188.78 pounds.
These specifications, combined with its advanced technology and luxury features, make the BMW M5 E28 a truly iconic and highly sought-after vehicle for car enthusiasts around the world.
See you on the next ride Folks!
Wonderful pictures by Valerio Di Domenica for Nostalgear
The owner of this beauty is Luca Marietti