1981 BMW 5 Series Photos, engines & full specs

Nine years after the model’s nameplate introduction, BMW was ready to release the second generation of the 5 Series, the E28, which surprised anyone with its advanced technologies for its era.

While the first generation of the 5 Series benefited from the magic hands of Marcello Gandini and Paul Bracq, its successor looked more like a slight evolution. But still, the car was completely new from the ground up, except for some engines that were carried over from the E12. However, the second generation of the 5 Series came with significant technical improvements. It was BMW’s first car to be powered by a turbodiesel engine and the first fitted with an antilock braking system, or ABS. Furthermore, the vehicle finally received an air conditioning unit, making driving more pleasant during hot summers. The car was also available with other luxury features, such as power windows and locks, a sunroof, and a stereo. BMW made the switch towards the premium segment, and it was winning. Last but not least, it was the generation that introduced the M5 version.

The 5 Series featured a front fascia with a recessed lower area, making it look like a shark nose. Its four-headlight styling resembled the 3, 6, and 7 Series. BMW also used a plastic bumper with chromed trims and rubber areas. For vehicles sold in the U.S., the German automaker made a different bumper, with thicker rubber elements, to comply with the five-mph (8 kph) crash-protection rule. In addition, a set of turn signals and parking lights were installed, and customers could order the vehicle with a set of rectangular fog lamps.

From its profile, the E28 featured flat surfaces and a creased line that crossed the car from headlights to taillights. Its flush door handles were black instead of chromed as on its predecessor, and depending on the grade and the engine version, it was available with black trims around the window line. The rear deck was horizontal, not sloped down, as the one from the E12, and that led to a bigger trunk space. Out back, the automaker installed wide and tall taillights to increase the visibility from behind.

Inside, the automaker created a revolutionary cabin for those times. The center stack was tilted towards the driver’s seat. It sported the controls for the audio and the HVAC system. Fronting the driver was an instrument cluster neatly integrated into the overall shape of the dashboard. It featured large dials for the tachometer and speedometer flanked by the fuel level and the temperature gauges. Furthermore, the automaker offered customers the option to equip the 5 Series with an inspection reminder consisting of a series of green, yellow, and red LEDs that warned the owners that they had to go for an oil flush. In the back, the comfortable bench seat had a retractable center armrest and provided enough legroom for three passengers.

Under the hood, the 5 Series was available right from the start, with four and six-cylinder engines and fuel injection. In 1986, BMW also added diesel engines for the 5 series, with or without a turbocharger. However, the most significant version of the car was the 1984 M5. At the time of its launch, the M5 was the fastest sedan in the world thanks to its M88/3 3.5-liter engine that developed 286 PS (282 hp). The Canadian and the U.S. versions were fitted with a detuned version of that engine that provided 260 PS (256 hp).