Originally posted by Myron Looks GREAT!
Gimme some specs!
I have NO idea of how many horses are under that hood.
Hello Myron & Pieter
Thanks
My E28 ///M5 has the M88/3 engine, which is an evolution of the original E26 ///M1 engine. Unlike the american version, the early European E28 ///M5 has no catalytic converter.
Some specs,
Curb weight: 1430kg
0-100km/h: 6.5sec
top speed: 245km/h
Engine type: 6 cylinder in line engine with 24 valves WITHOUT catalytic converter .
Engine displacement: 3453cc
She was allready very clean when I bought her, but I have doen some more work to bring her in this condition.
This car has been lucky. Before me and the seller, some other guy owned her for a short period of time who molested a few things. I had to replace the rev gauge and the air-filter intake as these where being destroyed. Fortunatelly that owner sold it not long after he bought it and that was the cars resque.
I have also replaced the front windscreen, the front and rear bumpers and the chrome trim of the front and rear windscreens.
BTW: If wheather permits, I will drive to the Nordschleife next sunday with Dominik Frey and perhaps some other car nuts.
Article Name: Clean Clean
=========================
Auto Motor and Sport "Test and Technology" 6/1985
Author "Götz Mayer"
Test: BMW M5
The 5 new series model with four valve six cylinder and 286 HP.
The car with the simple designation "M5" is almost as descretely traded as
illicit drugs. There was no great launch event and hardly any announcement
in the press.
BMW Motorsport GmbH revealed its latest drug for the first time without any
fuss at the Automobilsalon in Amsterdam, not exactly what you would call
one of the premier car shows in the world.
Even though this activity related to the new top of the range 5-Series,
this low-key launch did not seem completely out of place. Because a car
like this, without any luxuries - the M5 does not even sport a catalytic
converter - doesn't seem to quite fit the current BMW image. With the
latter, BMW dynamics and sportiness must take second place behind more
modern considerations such as the environment which in turn is addressed by
the appliance of innovative technology.
And then out of the blue comes something like this; a descrete 4 door sedan
- equipped with the powerful 286 HP (210kW) four valve per cylinder six
cylinder engine which was first developed for the mid-engined M1 supercar
and next appeared in the M 635CSi coupé. So, pure muscle-power - as is
demonstrated by the factory's 245 km/h (155 mph) top speed figure. Higher
than any other series production 4-door can achieve.
----------------------------------
| |
| Good |
| |
| Elastic and torquey engine |
| |
| Very high performance |
| |
| Well spaced gears |
| |
| Safe handling |
| |
| Good roadholding |
| |
| Comfortable suspension |
| |
| Bad |
| |
| Complicated seat adjustment |
| |
| Inconvenient seat-belt routing |
| (Front seats) |
| |
| Wind noise |
| |
| Weak full-beam headlights |
| |
| Defects on test car |
| |
| None |
| |
----------------------------------
The interesting engine isn't the only sign that the M5 doesn't exactly tow
the BMW line, because the car looks from the outside just like a 520i to
which its owner fitted wider wheels - this is in contrast to the
agressively spoilered M 535i which has some 70 HP less. And these spoilers
are, according to official doctrin, not just decorative, rather they are
added in the interests of providing downforce - as is so often explained -
without which the top speed would not be safely useable.
And the M5? Without any kind of aerodynamic aids whatsoever the M5 is
capable of driving at top speed without making the driver feel nervous,
with commendable straight line stability, flat and unperturbed even on fast
autobahns curves which wouldn't be considered as such by most cars.
>From this point of view then, no problem.
Technical Details and Measurements
==================================
Engine
======
Water cooled in-line six cylinder engine, seven main bearings. Double
overhead camshafts (chain driven), four valve per cylinder,
thermostatically controlled electrical radiator fan, electronically
controlled ignition and fuel injection (Bosch Motronic).
Power
=====
210 kW (286 HP) at 6500/min, specific output 60.8 kW per/L (82.8 HP/L),
capacity 3453 cc, bore/stroke 93.4*84.0, compression ratio 10.5:1 maximum
torque 340 Nm at 4500/min, piston speed at max/min 18.2 m/s.
Ratios: I 3.51
II 2.08
III 1.35
IV 1.00
V 0.81
R.3.71,
differential ratio 3.73:1. 38.3 km/h per 1000/min in 5th gear.
Bodywork and suspension
=======================
Five seater sedan with four door, monocoque construction. Air resistance
(Cw * A) 0.79. Independant Macpherson strut front suspension with anti-roll
bar. Independant trailing arm rear suspension with anti-roll bar. Gas shock
absorbers front and rear, power steering, hydraulic servo assisted dual
circuit braking system, ABS, vented disks, handbrake operates on rear
wheels. Wheel size: 165 TR 390. Tyre size: 220/55 VR 390.
Measurements and Weights
========================
Wheelbase 2625mm, front/rear track 1430/1465mm. Exterior size
4620*1700*1400mm, Interior height front/rear 930/860mm, Standard knee space
250mm, seat space 670-845mm, turning circle right/left 11.2/11.3m, three
turns lock to lock, steering wheel diameter 360mm, fuel tank capacity 70
Litres, weight (empty) 1465 kg, wight distribution front/rear 52.4/48 %,
maximum permitted weight 1900 kg, max load 435 kg, normalized person count
5.1
Flexibility
40-100 km/h (IV gear) 12.3s
60-120 km/h (V gear) 16.5s
Speedo accuracy
Display Actual
50 km/h 44 km/h
100 km/h 94 km/h
130 km/h 123 km/h
160 km/h 151 km/h
180 km/h 169 km/h
220 km/h 201 km/h
Odometer error 0 %
Interior noise
at 50 km/h 65 db(A)
at 100 km/h 70 db(A)
at 130 km/h 73 db(A)
at 140 km/h 74 db(A)
at 160 km/h 77 db(A)
at 180 km/h 82 db(A)
at 200 km/h 82 db(A)
Fuel consumption
DIN in Liter/100 km
at 90 km/h in 5th gear 7.8
at 120 km/h in 5th gear 9.7
town driving 16.5
Test consumption in Liter/100 km
Minimum 12.0
Maximum 19.2
A-road @ 80 km/h 14.4
Autobahn @ 150 km/h 17.9
Average test consumption 15.3
Fuel: Premium grade
Steering and pedal effort
Steering at standstill 42 N
Steering during driving 33 N
Clutch pedal 170 N
Gas pedal 20 N
Brake pedal at 80% of maximum breaking effort 120N
Service Interval
According to the service indicator LEDs display.
End Of Technical Details and Measurements
=========================================
That the M5 doesn't advertise its potent from the outside will please many
of its prospective purchasers. Should showing-off be necessary it is
sufficient to drive to the gas station and open up the hood. Just a glance
at the M-engine leaves no doubt as to its potential; this power unit was
designed during a period when technology still needed to be asthetically
pleasing. No plastic coverings as are so common on modern cars - rather
optically well prepared high performance mechanicals which can provide so
much joy even at standstill. Just like a beautiful cronograph.
It is then even more pleasurable to be able to announce that this monument
to engineering is just as much fun to drive. because the six cylinder
engine, which looks like it came directly from a racing car, is a
powerhouse without faults. It starts on the button, impresses with its
smooth idle and when required is capable of pulling away using extremely
low revs. In town you can cruise around in 5th gear without having to
change down to accelerate and on the open road even 4000/min is sufficient
to unleash powerful acceleration and put many miles of road behind you.
The six cylinder does however only show what it is really capable of when
all six throttles are fully open. Then the typical BMW silky smoothness is
replaced by a raucous plenium concert. The tacho needle nears the red
(which starts at 6700/min) where the rev-limiter kicks in.
The acceleration is phenominal but unlike a Porsche Turbo always feels
under control. Anyone stepping straight from a 528i into a M5 would not be
threatened by the additional 100 HP because the power is laid down so
progressively that one isn't made aware of the real nature of the beast.
Only the measurements show what 286 HP coupled to the relatively light
5-series chassis are truely capable of: After only 6.1 seconds the BMW
passes 100km/h (62 mph) and reaches 160km/h (100 mph) after a mere 15
seconds. And with no end in sight; the BMW accelerates forward in a manner
in normally is the stuff of pure-bread sports cars. Only far in excess of
the normal speed limits does the ageing 5-series body display its
aerodynamic in-efficiencies. At 251 km/h the power output is equalled by
the aerodynamic drag. That isn't much more than an Audi 200 turbo which has
100 HP less.
That the M5 has more than enough power for each and every situation is
without doubt. Not just due to the impressive engine but also because of
the superbly spaced gears. Normally BMW specifies an overdrive gearbox
which it would be crazy to fit to a car of this caliber; The M5 is
therefore fitted with a close ratio 'box which isn't just perfect for
acceleration but which also allows for lazy gear changing.
The interaction between engine and gearbox is completely harmonic. You
never have the feeling you're in the wrong gear regardless of which gear
you happen to be in. The last item worth mentioning is that the 5 speed
'box allows for superbly smooth changes - precise and with so little force
required that you get the feeling the gears are somehow sucked into place.
The high level of excitement generated by the power train isn't even
reduced by too high a fuel consumption. The average consumption (measured
according to DIN standards) represents the minimum achievable during normal
road use; around 12.0 l/100km. During the test (in which much of the
driving was fast) the average consumption was measured at 15.3 l/100 km.
Certainly a figure one can live with. A few years ago acheiving such low
consumption would have been considered grounds for rejoicing.
We have already talked about the good handling characteristics of the M5 on
the autobahn but it should be added that other road conditions are just as
well controlled. The suspension setup seems very carefully calculated; up
to an extremely high speed in curves the BMW stays almost completely
neutrally poised. Beyond that the rear starts to move outwards. Clearly
with this kind of power available oversteer is easily provoked. Normally
however the rear avoids taking on a life of its own. Under extreme
circumstances it is sufficient to apply a little opposite lock. This nice
feature is assisted by light and very precise power steering which makes
the M5 a nippy and satisfying car.
Given the positive handling characteristics you could understand it if the
M5 was a little lacking in the comfort department. But even here the setup
seems to have been well thought out. Even though the suspension is lower
and stiffer than that of the standard 5-series, the overall comfort level
is easy to live with. Only when driving slowly does the stiffness of the
suspension become apparent. Otherwise any bumps in the road are a
efficiently flattened out - they don't go completely unnoticed by the
passengers but they also don't cause significant jolting around and the
associated discomfort which that could result in.
The good impression is assisted by the comfortable and snugly fitting
sports seats which belong to some of the best available from BMW. With one
exception. Even here the various adjustments are unnecessarily complicated.
The result: it takes some time to find an acceptable seating position
behind the leather covered steering wheel.
Also available in leather are the seats - covered in the finest buffelo
leather - and even on the M5 these are an extra cost option which makes the
already expensive car even more pricey. (See table "Options and Prices").
Without extras the basic M5, in which nothing important is missing, already
costs 80,750 DM. Without doubt this is a lot of money but for this you get
a BMW which has cleaned up its act.
. 
Linear Mode
