One thing that is a sure bet in the automotive world, is that when a new generation of a car comes along, it is bound to be faster than the outgoing example. Because of this, we tend to look at older performance cars in relative terms, thinking about their significance at the time, since after a few generations, the performance doesn’t really hold up anymore. The E39 M5 is a different story. Sure, a current G90 M5 would be showing an E39 its taillights in a drag race, yet there is almost no chance the G90 will ever have an opportunity to dethrone the E39 M5 as the “Greatest Ever Sports Sedan.” A combination of factors play into this, coming out in the late 1990s, the cars are fitted with enough technology to work properly and offer plenty of creature comforts, yet all of the driver’s aids are entirely defeatable, meaning you can truly exploit the perfect weight distribution and neutral chassis, built during what is arguably the era of peak BMW. Also, this M5 was the last one to be exclusively offered with a manual gearbox, ensuring that the car was only purchased new by people who loved to drive.

The E39 M5’s legend looms large in the automotive world, and it is hard to find an enthusiast who doesn’t love them. At EAG, we have had countless E39s come through our hands, from ultra-low mile examples, to more driver-quality cars, and each one is an absolute joy to be around. Although it may seem like there are a bunch of E39 M5s out there, in truth, less than 10,000 came to the United States over the 4 years of production, and that number shrinks dramatically when you factor in colors other than silver and cars without deep 6-figure mileage. If you have always wanted to experience the wonder that is an E39 M5, or if you bought one new and regret letting it go, this example will bring you right back to 2002 and the car that truly epitomized BMW’s slogan at the time, “The Ultimate Driving Machine.”