The M brand's most popular model remained the M3 with 5,729 units of the coupe, 2,544 units of the Convertible and 1,843 Saloons. Worldwide sales of the newly introduced all-wheel drive X5 M and X6 M totaled 2,778 and 3,082 respectively.
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If true (and according to the Nürburgring lap times list posted on Wikipedia), this means the entry-level M model is 10 seconds faster than the E46 M3, on par with the E86 Z4 M Coupe, but 7 seconds slower than the E92 M3 .
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In Europe, the E28 BMW M5 was launched in 1985 and was equipped with a 3.5-liter 24-valve 6-cylinder engine with six separate throttle butterflies,delivering 286 hp and 251 lb-ft (340Nm) of torque. However, this here example is a U.S.-spec model, meaning it comes with the less powerful S38B35 straight-six due to stricter emission regulations. It was rated at 256HP and 243 lb-ft (330 Nm).
We have videos aplenty, including a first taste of the Vorax's sonorous V10 soundtrack and a look behind the design process that features an interview with designer Fharys Rossin himself (albeit in Portuguese).
She earned these nicknames for lapping the German race track more than 20,000 times (according to her own estimates), mostly behind the wheel of the famous BMW M5 Ring Taxi. Other highlights of her carrier include two wins (in 1996 and 1997) and a third place finish (2008) at the 24 Hours Nürburgring.
All we have to say about Lumma Design's gaudy color schemes inside and out for its new BMW M5 E60-based CLR 730 RS, is that we'll forgive any of you that mistake it for a bowling shoe maker's promotional vehicle... But seriously now, the CLR 730 RS features what the company claims to be the most powerful engine ever to be fitted on a road-legal BMW, courtesy of G-Power. The standard 5.0-liter V10 unit that makes 507HP and 520Nm has been upgraded with a pair of superchargers, a new sport exhaust system and various other modifications.The result is a total output of 730HP and a peak torque of 700Nm (516 lb-ft) for a zero to 100 km/h (62mph) sprint time of 4.2 seconds. Lumma Design says that after 10 seconds the car reaches 200 km/h (124mph) and after 29.5 seconds, it breaks the 300km/h (187mph) barrier before it reaches its top speed of 367.4 km/h (226.8 mph).
The tuning firm has uprated the M5's brake system that now features 6-piston calipers with 405mm drilled disks up front and 4-piston calipers with 380mm drilled discs at the back. There's also an adjustable sport suspension that allows the car to be lowered by 45mm.
The wide bodykit that includes a new hood, trunk lid with an integrated spoiler, mirror caps, door handles, entrance strips and fenders, all of which are made out of carbon fiber, is said to be designed to improve the car's aerodynamics at high speeds.
The CLR 730 RS rides on a set of 21-inch lightweight forged alloy wheels shod in tires size 255/30 up front and 295/25 at the back.
Inside, Lumma Design upgraded - downgraded (take your pick) the M5's cabin with two-tone leather seats and door panels with quilted patterns and more carbon fiber accents than a NASA parts cupboard. The German company did not disclose pricing on the M5 CLR 730 RS.
Though definitely not as unique or attention-grabbing as the 1989 E34 M5 soft-top Convertible that we showed you in an earlier post here on Carscoop, the one-off E39 M5 Touring prototype that was also revealed by BMW at a special event in Germany commemorating the 25 years of the M5 and photographed by the folks over at 'Bimmertoday', is certainly worth a second look .The E39-based M5 Touring, which for various reasons never made it pass the prototype phase, was powered by the same naturally-aspirated 4.9-liter V8 engine with 400 ponnies as its sedan doppelganger.
The only other M5 Touring to be series produced by BMW other than today's V10-powered model (E60 sedan / E61 Touring), was the E34 M5 that was fitted with an inline-six cylinder engine.
Source: Bimmertoday , Via: BMWBlog
BMW M5 Touring E39 Prototype
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BMW M5 E39 Saloon
Back in the late 1980's, when the BMW M division's portfolio was far more limited than today's lineup which comprises of models of all sorts and sizes including SUVs, the Bavarians had an idea; what about creating an E34 M5 Convertible? Actually, it was more of an idea as BMW went ahead and developed a complete prototype that was supposed to be introduced at the 1989 Geneva Motor Show.However, sadly the firm's high-ranking executives pulled the plug on the project the last moment fearing that the essential non 'M' 5-Series drop top models would be positioned too close to the thriving 3-Series Convertible.
BMW had kept the E34 M5 Cabrio prototype model under covers -though pictures had circulated on the net- for 20 years until now as the company showed the car to the press at a special event for the M5's 25th anniversary.
The E34 M5 was produced between 1988 and 1995. Early models featured a 3.6-liter inline-six with 315 HP at 6,900 rpm and 266 lb-ft of torque at 4,750 rpm that was replaced in 1992 with a 3.8-liter engine cranking out 340 HP at 6,900 rpm and 295 lb-ft of torque at 4,750 rpm.
Via: BMWBlog , Source: Bimmertoday
BMW E34 M5 Convertible Prototype
BMW E34 M5
