Last week, we shared an E61 535i xDrive wagon that was painstakingly swapped to become an S85-powered M5 Touring clone with a six-speed manual. It looked awesome. But what if you wanted something that was a bit more sledgehammer than V-10 scalpel? Here’s another solution.
This E39 528i wagon has made the rounds before, like when it was built starting in 2012 and last sold in 2016, but now it’s back on Bring a Trailer again. At first glance, it looks like any brown E39 wagon. But then you notice the stance and massive wheels. There’s also the diffuser that no other E39 wagons had. Then the badge is a dead giveaway that something is different, considering BMW never built something called a 572i. In this case, it’s not a joke.
When it was first built, this E39 received a 7.0-liter GM LSx V-8 and a Tremec gearbox, the traditional, easy way to add instant performance to any car. It also got an E39 M5 interior in Caramel, a custom suspension, quad exhaust, Brembo brakes, and a set of Apex wheels. Since it’s last appearance on BaT in 2016, the engine was rebuilt and stroked to 7.2 liters. It now makes 497 hp and 497 lb-ft. Suitable numbers that will humble just about anything else it encounters on the road.
I just love how understated it is. A brown wagon with a brown interior and a comical badge. Most people won’t give it a second look. They should.
It ends tomorrow on BaT, with bidding sitting right around $30k right now. Considering it sold for $36,000 in 2016, it seems on track to bring a premium over that. We’ll update with the result once it sells. But get in there if you want something that looks understated but holds enough power to embarrass anything else at school drop off. And let us know if you end up putting it in your garage. Just listen to it below and tell me you don’t want it.
