Yet another case of the Europeans getting the good stuff while we didn’t in this M5 on EBay in New York. The E34 M5 was the last M car powered by BMW’s legendary racing derived 24-valve DOHC Motorsport inline-6. 1993 was the last year they were sold in the United States, fitted with the 3.6 liter version of the engine and a 5-speed transmission. In Europe, they had a 3.8 liter variant of the engine, and in later versions, a host of other cool stuff that US cars never got, like the 6-speed transmission, EDC (electronic damping control, part of the Nurburgring suspension package), 18″ M parallel wheels, and the first production application of two-piece rotor brakes.
This car is a 1995 model, so it has all of the goodies. It’s also been federalized, which saves the hassle, wait, and expense of bringing one in yourself. The seller presents it as an honest, unmodified, no-stories car with records, exactly the kind to buy. The car has been repainted, which is a potential turn-off, though at 15 years of age and 100,000 miles, it may be for the better. The car has a rear spoiler (possibly a dealer accessory, possibly aftermarket) and smoked front corner lenses.
The interior is an attractive champagne color, and is a nice change from the more somber usual interior colors of contemporary BMWs. The black carpets set it off nicely and the interior looks clean. The seller does not specify if there is a 6-speed transmission but given the wide kidney grilles (used on later examples), EDC, and spiffy 4-pot brakes, this car is most likely a 6-speed. The engine compartment with its six throttle bodies (which also gives these cars their heavy throttles) is a great sight to the enthusiast and indicates that this is a serious engine.
This car is very unusual to see in the states (even if it looks exactly like a $4500 car to most people) and is a really great find. The rarity means that sellers often try to establish the market on these cars, and asking prices are usually in the high 20’s. This one has been on Ebay before and hasn’t sold, and the seller is probably holding out for a similar figure.