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This BMW E39 M5 Touring Is Not Your Ordinary Forbidden Fruit

When talking about the 5 Series, most BMW heads will tell you that proper styling stopped at the E39 model. To each his own, but there’s no denying that this particular 5er generation oozes specialness, especially when it comes down to the M5.
M5-Swapped 2001 BMW 540i Wagon 11 photos
Photo: Bring a Trailer
M5-Swapped 2001 BMW 540i WagonM5-Swapped 2001 BMW 540i WagonM5-Swapped 2001 BMW 540i WagonM5-Swapped 2001 BMW 540i WagonM5-Swapped 2001 BMW 540i WagonM5-Swapped 2001 BMW 540i WagonM5-Swapped 2001 BMW 540i WagonM5-Swapped 2001 BMW 540i WagonM5-Swapped 2001 BMW 540i WagonM5-Swapped 2001 BMW 540i Wagon
It’s a shame the automaker never offered the E39 M5 in Touring attire, but a certain gentleman rolled his sleeves and modified a 540i wagon into the sexy beast featured in the following photo gallery and video. And if you were wondering, the car is for sale!

Listed on Bring a Trailer and coming with a clean Carfax, the M5-swapped 540i Touring has 96,000 miles to its name and prides itself on a six-speed manual transmission. The wheels, exterior and interior trim, and the quad exhaust tips are in keeping with the aesthetics of the M5 Sedan, so it doesn’t come as a surprise the current bid on this Bavarian bad boy is $22.5k.

Currently located in Evanston, Illinois, the go-faster family wagon received new valve cover gaskets, VANOS seals, brake rotors and pads, and oil pan gaskets less than two years ago. If the car appears to be sitting lower than usual, that’s because the self-leveling rear suspension has been set to match the H&R springs up front. For superior handling, Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires wrap all four corners of this youngtimer.

Being an E39, the beating heart of the beast is the iconic S62 engine that’s known for two things: the performance it offers and the flurry of problems it can exhibit. The 4.9-liter DOHC V8 is tuned to produce 394 horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 500 Nm (370 lb-ft) at 3,800 rpm, which isn’t much by today’s standards. Still, anyone who has driven an E39-gen M5 will tell you that out-and-out power isn’t everything there is to the driving experience.

If I were to nitpick, then I’d complain about the lack of a spare tire. This condition comes as a result of modifications brought to the car to make space for the new exhaust system. Be that as it may, the trunk is big enough to accommodate a space-saver unit.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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