The M5 has been a paragon of practical performance from the moment the E28 generation arrived. More than 35 years of successive editions later, and the M5 continues to exert itself as a force in the automotive world, embarrassing the likes of two-door and two-seat cars that cost two and three times as much. The latest example may have moved things into another realm of performance, with acceleration dropping into the two-second range, but BMW enthusiasts and driving aficionados alike continue to appreciate where things came from, and the market agrees.
Veteran auto journalist Tiff Needell drove many of these cars when they were new, but recently gave the entire M5 evolution another go with the lovecars YouTube channel. The better part of 40 years have yielded six generations of M5, and the changes from E28 to F90 are even more astounding where the entire lineage is juxtaposed, back-to-back.
Whether you’re dedicated to the original E28, are lucky enough to own one of those awesome E34 M5 wagons, are fortunate enough to get behind the V8 of the E39, brave enough to own a V10-powered E60, or rely on turbocharging and direct injection the latest models, it seems like there is an M5 for any taste, and the video below goes through them all.
Which one is your favorite, and which would you like to have in your garage?—Alex Tock
[Image and video courtesy Lovecars on YouTube.]
