automotivebriefs
9:22in productionCh. 1 · First of its kind/ 9:22 · ceiling 15 min
Saloons & estates · Road

BMW M5

Joji Nagashima · 1998

The E28 M5 didn’t invent the fast saloon — it weaponised it.

The E28 M5 is the foundational high-performance saloon — mechanically uncompromising, historically pivotal, and entirely disconnected from Joji Nagashima’s design work.

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Chapters & takeaways5
  1. 0:57
    First of its kind

    The E28 M5 was BMW M’s first saloon, built from 1984 to 1988 as a limited-run performance flagship.

  2. 2:04
    Engineered for supremacy

    It used the M88/3 engine — derived from the M1 and shared with the M635CSi — and was the fastest production saloon in the world at launch.

  3. 3:00
    Strictly saloon, strictly rare

    It remained strictly a saloon, with no estate version, and only 2,241 were made — making it rarer than most M-badged cars that followed.

  4. 4:09
    Outlived its platform

    It debuted at the Amsterdam Motor Show in February 1985 and stayed in production until November 1988 — outliving the standard E28.

  5. 5:40
    No Nagashima here

    Joji Nagashima designed the E39 5 Series — but not the E28 M5. His influence begins a decade later.

Worth your time?

Yes. Drive the whole thing.

4.5/ 5
What works
  • Defined the M5 formula.
  • Delivered race-bred power in a usable package.
  • Remains rare and uncorrupted by revision.
What does not
  • Joji Nagashima had no involvement in the E28 M5.
Drive it if
  • Drivers who value provenance over polish.
  • Historians of performance packaging.
Skip it if
  • Anyone seeking Nagashima’s design language.
  • Buyers expecting modern safety or infotainment.
The written brief1 min read

What the car is and where it came from

The BMW M5 is a high-performance saloon developed by BMW M GmbH. The first generation — the E28 — launched in 1985, based on the 535i chassis and powered by the M88/3 engine.

How it works, in terms someone would actually use

It uses the M88/3 engine — a motorsport-derived straight-six shared with the M635CSi — mounted in the front of a saloon body based on the 535i chassis. Power goes to the rear wheels. The driver feels direct mechanical feedback through the steering and gearshift.

What it gets right

It gets the balance right: track-capable power delivery, precise steering, and saloon practicality. Its rarity (2,241 units) reflects focused intent, not marketing bloat.

What it does not

It does not have an estate variant. It does not use forced induction. It does not feature electronic driver aids beyond basic ABS. It does not share design input from Joji Nagashima — he was not involved.

What it changed

It proved a production saloon could outpace supercars. It established the template: rear-wheel drive, naturally aspirated inline-six, driver-focused dynamics, no compromise on daily usability.

Who it is for, and who it is not

It is for drivers who value mechanical purity and historical significance over convenience or connectivity. It is not for anyone expecting input from Joji Nagashima — he had no role in this car.

Is it worth your time

Yes, if you want to understand how BMW M defined the high-performance saloon. No, if you expect modern electronics, all-wheel drive or estate variants — those came later.

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