When the E39 M5 was unveiled at the 1998 Geneva Motor Show, it represented a sea change for the model and signified the M5’s evolution into a proper Autobahn missel. For the first time in BMW M’s history, the M5 was powered by a motorsport-derived V8 called the S62, which was connected to a 6-speed manual transmission. Although the E39 M5 was only 100 lbs heavier than the outgoing E34, it felt like a far more developed product thanks to its luxurious and thoroughly modern interior accommodations. When the car went on sale in late 1998, it immediately became the default choice for the well-heeled enthusiast looking for the perfect car to drive every day to the office but also take for a rip in the backroads on the weekend.

Powering this M5 is the aforementioned S62 V8- a true masterpiece of engineering. The 4.9-liter engine produces 394 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque thanks to 8 individual throttle bodies and double VANOS variable valve timing. As the first V8 BMW M car, the E39 offered seamless performance anywhere in the powerband. Whereas some of BMW’s previous M cars required the driver to wring them out to extract real-world performance, the E39 M5 offers effortless speed in any gear, at any revs. The only available gearbox for this M5 was a 6-speed Getrag manual, which sent power to the rear wheels through a limited-slip differential. In period, these M5s were clocked as running from 0-60 mph in 4.8 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 155- although it has been said with the limiter removed, they are easily capable of more than 185 mph.

The E39 M5 chassis is turning 25 years old this year, and even today, it remains the sports sedan that every modern sedan is measured against. That is just one of the many reasons that we at EAG are fans of this chassis, we always try to find great examples, and this one is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best anywhere. In an era where BMW’s slogan was “The Ultimate Driving Machine,” the E39 M5 seems tailor-made to fit that phrase.