|
þetta er æðisleg grein og frábærar upplýsingar fyrir þá sem ekki vissu og vilja vita meir
The History Behind the M5
In the last two decades, BMW's Motorsport division has build a reputation amongst car enthusiast by building sports cars on basis of the road going models. Many people have heard about the ///M1, ///M3, and the ///M5. But these cars would not have existed if BMW did not participate in motorsport. In the early 1970's, the Motorsport division was founded with the objective to support Motorsport activities. Many can still remember the BMW CSL's based on the CS coupe racing. But it was not until 1978 until the first Motorsport product was available for the general public. In October 1998, the ///M1 was first shown to the public on the Paris auto show. The ///M1 used the M88 engine which was so successful with the CSL group two race cars.
Since BMW did not have the capacity to build a specialised car as the ///M1 in series quantities, Jochen Neerpash, then head of the Motorsport division choose Lamborghini as a partner in the ///M1 project. Lamborghini was far from being healthy, but financial funding supplied by the Italian government gave BMW the confidence to go ahead with Lamborghini. But after building seven prototypes and before starting the production, Lamborghini was almost bankrupt. BMW then transferred the assembly of the ///M1 to Baur in Stuttgart. As a result, the logistics from the production process was for from ideal. The bodies where assembled in Italy by "Ital Design" and sent to Baur in Germany. Baur then fitted the engine, gearbox and the rest of the car. In the end, Motorsport tested every car before delivering it to its customers. The ///M1's powerplant was the 3453cc big six with the 24 valve cylinder head, very much the same as the racing specification CSL coupes. The ///M1's engine used a Kugelfisher mechanical injection to yield 277 DIN hp at 6500RPM and 239lb/ft of torque from 5000RPM. Sales of the ///M1 did not start until February 1979 and after 450 ///M1's where d build production ceased in until July 1981.
While the ///M1 is very well known, it is a little known fact that BMW Motorsport division build a number of special cars for important customers and management personnel. These cars where mostly based on the E12 five series which entered the market in 1972. But these cars where not available for the general public. Things changed in 1979 when the E12 ///M535I was offered. The E12 ///M535I was designed and manufactured entirely by Motorsport and used the same 3453cc engine of the M49 family as the E24 635CSI. This engine yields 218 DIN hp at 5200RPM and 228lb.ft torque from 4000RPM and compared by late 1970 and early 1980 standards the ///M535I was very fast. After only 1410 E12 ///M535I's where made, production ceased in may 1981. Today, the E12 ///M535I is regarded as the first sporting saloon built by the motorsport division.
E12 ///M535i
It is interesting to note that the E12 ///M535I is not the fastest member of the E12 series. In 1978 Alpina introduced a turbocharged engine on basis of the 3.0 litre big six and fitted this engine in the E12 chassis. Power was 300 DIN bhp at 6000RPM and even more important, the torque was massive with about 450nm available from only 3000RPM. Only 149 of the B7 turbo and 60 of the B7S turbo have been build by Alpina on the E12 chassis. The B7S turbo used the 3.5 litre engine from the ///M535I and as such, power was slightly higher at 330 DIN hp at 5800RPM and 500nm torque from 3000RPM. Today, both E12 ///M535I and the E12 Alpina B7(S) turbo are highly sought after.
When the E28 chassis superceded the E12, the 3.5 litre engine was slightly changed. Its capacity was reduced from 3453cc to 3430cc, but power and torque remained almost the same. Unlike the E12 ///M535I, the E28 ///M535I has nothing to do with the motorsport division. The only difference between the regular E28 535i and the E28 ///M535I was the spoiler package and the steering wheel. To many enthusiasts that was a bit disappointing, but BMW evened up when in February 1985 the E28 ///M5 was first shown on the Amsterdam auto show. With its large 286 DIN bhp1 engine, the E28 ///M5 was capable of accelerating from 0 to 100km/h4 in just 6.5sec and reaching a top speed of 245km/h. The car world was shocked. For the first time, a large car manufacturer dared to put a large high performance engine in a medium sized four door saloon which was capable of outperforming most sports cars. Already in 1984, a few months before its introduction, a small numbers of E28 ///M5 have been made for a few important customers.
E28 ///M5
The E28 ///M5 used basically the same engine as the ///M1 with 3453cc capacity but instead of the Kugelfisher mechanical injection, Motorsport fitted a Bosch Motronic fuel injection system. Thanks to this modification, power rose to 286 DIN bhp1 at 6500RPM and 250 lb.ft (340nm) torque available from 4500RPM. This very same engine is also used for the ///M635CSI which was introduced slightly before the E28 ///M5 in 1984. The E28 ///M5 was hand build in Munich at the Preussenstrasse and during a four three year period only 2145 cars where build. In 1987, which was the last production year of the E28 chassis, a de-tuned catalyst version with 260DIN bhp1 at 6500RPM and 243lb/ft of torque from 4500RPM was available for North America, but these cars where much more luxurious then the European version. Eventually 1235 US specification E28 ///M5's where sold. In Europe, this engine was also available with catalyc converter. But then most ///M5 buyers did not like the loss idea of 26bhp power loss, so they did not want them. As a result, the E28 ///M5 with catalyst is quite rare in Europe.
In September 1998, the new E34 ///M5 was available in Germany. Since the E34 chassis was larger and more refined than the E28 chassis, the E34 ///M5 is more tractable and docile than its predecessor. The engine capacity increased to 3535cc and this catalyst engine now delivered 315bhp at 6900RPM and 360Nm (266lb.ft) of torque from 4750RPM. Although the E34 ///M5 was 170kg heavier than the E28 ///M5, acceleration and top speed figures improved to 0 to 100kmph4 in just 6.2sec and a regulated top speed of 250km/h.
E34 ///M5 3.6 litre
Like the E28 ///M5, the E34 ///M5 was also hand build. It took 6 weeks to build each ///M5 and as a result, base price was just under DM100000 in September 1988. The rest of the Europe did not receive the E34 ///M5 before 1989 and the rest of the world had to wait until 1990. ///M5s for the US and Canadian market where technically the same as in Europe so the performance was up to the same level, but since the ///M5's for the US and Canada where standard more luxurious and therefore heavier, performance was a bit lower than the standard European versions.
In 1991, this second generation of the ///M5 got competition from the Mercedes Benz 500E and less important the Opel Lotus Omega with its twin turbo charged 3.6 litre engine. Despite the fact that the 500E was not as fast as an E34 ///M5 3.6 litre in sheer performance2, the 500E with its 5.0 litre V8 and automatic gearbox was the better autobahn performer. But on twisty of the autobahns or on the track, the E34 ///M5 was the better performing car6,7. In 1992, BMW enlarged the engine of the E34 ///M5 to 3795cc. Not in the first place to yield more power, but to improve fuel consumption and tractability. The new 3.8 litre engine yielded 347 DIN hp3 at 6900RPM an 409nm3 (295 lb.ft) from 4750RPM. Acceleration for 0 to 100km/h4 improved to 5.9sec and if not the top speed was electronically limited, the E34 ///M5 could reach more than 270km/h (170mp/h). Other improvements for the 1992 European ///M5 was a new adaptive suspension with gas filled Boge shock absorbers. Sensors located at different parts of the car measures the body roll and when necessary the shock absorbers became stiffer to improve handling. As an option, the so called Nurburgring option was available which allowed the driver to play with the stiffness of the suspension. From 1992, BMW also offered the ///M5 also as touring. With only 891 ///M5 tourings build, this is quite a rare car.
The 3.8litre ///M5 was never sold in the US and Canada. For these markets BMW continued to make the 3.6litre variant until 1993.
From July 1994, as the 1995 model year some further improvements where made to the E34 ///M5. The brakes where increased in size and for the first time ever a production car used floating brake discs. Now, the gearbox had six gears, the Nurburgring package was standard and the wheels and tyre size increased to 17". In 1995, BMW made 200 E34 ///M540i for the US market and 32 E34 ///M540i for the Canadian market. The ///M540i used the 4.0 litre V8 of the 540i of the large 6 cylinder Motorsport engine. The Canadian E34 ///M540i is a very special car because with exception from the engine, this car was technically identical to the 1995 E34 ///M5. After slightly more than 12000 E34 ///M5s where produced in almost an eight year period, production ceased in July 1995. The last E34 ///M5s have cost a staggering DM140000 in Germany, an increase of 40% over its production period.
Canadian model E34 ///M540i
Also Know As: the 540i ///M-Sport (US/Europe), ///M540i LE (Australia).
These models were essentially 540Is built with ///M5-only options at the factory, such as EDC, 6 speed manual transmission. They were available with ///M5 trim, paint and upholstery options, and were built to sell during the period after the last production of E34 ///M5 in 1995 and the introduction of the E39 ///M5 in 1998. They sold like hot-cakes and in most markets were gone in the first year. Buyers that could not get one had to wait until the introduction of the e39 ///M5 (or opt for the current E39 540I instead).
Despite the fact that the E34 ///M5 was the fastest BMW of its time, Alpina and other tuners made their own variants. It is not fair to describe Alpina or Hartge as just a tuners. Both are now regarded as independent car manufacturers. The most famous modified E34 is the Alpina B10 biturbo. With its 360 DIN hp twin turbo charged 3.4 litre M30B35 engine, it was capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in just 5.6sec and reaching a top speed of more than 290km/h5. Even the current E39 ///M5 cannot keep pace with a well a Bi-Turbo in good condition.
Alpina B10 Bi-Turbo
The E34 Alpina B10 Bi-Turbo was made from 1989 until 1993 and in this period only 507 cars where made and where available only in Europe.
In 1998. BMW Motorsport announced the E39 ///M5. For the first time, BMW Motorsport used a V8. The 4.4 litre V8 of the 540i was bored and stroked to 4941cc. With the eight butterfly manifolds, this engine delivered 400 DIN hp at 6600RPM and 500nm of torque from 3800RPM. Performance was devastating. 0 to 100km/h is finished in just 5.3sec and if not the top speed was regulated to 250km/h, the E39 ///M5 could run more than 290km/h.
BMW E39 ///M5
Unlike the previous versions, the E39 ///M5 is not hand built and is instead made on the regular E39 production site in Dingolfing. Thanks to this, BMW could offer the E39 ///M5 for the same price is the last hand build E34 ///M5s three years earlier.
During the now 16 year period that the ///M5 type exists, there have been three generations of the //M5 being made. But despite that it is difficult to compare the three versions. All three versions have in common that they are the sporting saloon to beat. But the E39 ///M5 does not fulfil the original mystique of owning and driving an ///M car. It is a much more comfortable and more refined than its predecessors, but for many ///M enthusiasts who have driven the older cars, it has become to refined.
The same could be said about the E34 ///M5 in 1988. The E34 chassis is much more refined than the E28 chassis and therefore is much more comfortable and docile but despite that its engine is not just as powerful as the E39 ///M5, the engine of the E34 ///M5 almost has a soul. A lot off people prefer the grunt of the V8, but the audible pleasure the large six cylinder of the E34 ///M5 and E28 ///M5 gives when revving up is still unmatched. Was the E28 ///M5 also called "Original Sin", the E34 ///M5 was more refined but based on the same philosophy. The E39 ///M5 is a different car, a master piece of its own, but far more refined than its predecessors to fulfil the expectations of the modern customers. But the newer ///M models like the E39 ///M5 and E46 ///M3 have created an increasing demand and interest in the older models.
For the interested enthusiast for whom the E39 ///M5 is out of reach, the interesting question is; "Which one should I buy?" This question depends on the purpose the car will be used for. If it is for everyday use, the E34 ///M5 is hard to beat. It is spacious, refined, safe and fast. It fulfils the driver involvement, but not as much as the E28 ///M5. Today, prices of the E34 ///M5 have fallen well into reach and especially in Europe, good examples can be found between DM15000 and DM35000. The E28 ///M5 is raw, less spacious and shows what Motorsport originally meant with driver involvement. There are not to many of them around anymore so prices are rising. A few years ago an E28 ///M5 could be bought in Germany for less than DM7000. But today, a well maintained low mileage example can bring up to DM22000. For the rest of the world, prices are higher. In the US for instance a good low mileage 1991 E34 ///M5 can still bring US$25000, while the average 1991 model cars brings between US$15000 to US$20000. Compared to the prices in Europe that is considerably high.
But despite the fact that the purchase prices are relatively low, the cost of ownership is high. If you think you can drive an ///M5 for the same cost as a VW Golf GTI, then forget about it. First of all, the insurance costs and fuel costs are high. Second, tyres cost quite a lot too and third the ///M5 needs regular maintenance and immediate attention when something breaks. But when maintained properly, the ///M5 is a very reliable car and capable of very high mileages. This is very remarkable for an engine which was originally developed for racing purposes.
_________________ Sv.H E30 CABRIO V12 M70B50 ///ALPINA B10 BITURBO 346 @ 507 E34 550 V12 JML(OO[][]OO) http://alpina.123.is/pictures/Sabine Schmitz wrote: "Fear disturbs your concentration."
|
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
Meðlimur
