The E60 M5 is nothing short of a cult classic as far as fast BMW sedans are concerned. It was the world’s first production sedan to feature a V10 engine, and in Europe you could even get it as a superpowered wagon (the E61 Touring). Today, you can get these cars for entry-level 2024 Toyota Corolla money, but if you know where to look, you should find them for even less.
All you have to do is not mind the extra miles and you’re golden. I’ve been staring at several cheap E60 M5 models all morning, ranging from $12,000 to $20,000. The thing is none of them are sub-100,000 miles examples. Also, you probably don’t want to purchase the cheapest possible M5 you can find, because you’ll be putting money into it almost immediately, just so it can run properly.
That being said, we found this 2006 M5 in Interlagos Blue that just sold for $15,250 and it’s got 85,000 miles on the clock. Yes, the exterior could use a bit of work aesthetically, but that’s not going to set you back a lot. E60 M5s with this kind of mileage usually go for $20k or more. Somebody walked away with a “steal” here, as far as I’m concerned.
Aside from the metallic blue exterior, this M5 also comes with a glass sunroof, decklid spoiler, tinted windows (aftermarket), adaptive bi-xenon headlights with washers, front and rear parking sensors, plus a set of Style 166 19” wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ tires. It’s worth noting that it’s also got Servotronic steering, which is a delight to use at any speed, especially in older model BMWs.
Moving on to the interior, that’s where you’ll find the Silverstone Merino leather upholstery, heated and power-adjustable front seats, Walnut Madeira wood trim accents, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, a power rear sunshade, sat-nav, a Logic7 surround sound system with a six-disc CD changer (anyone use those anymore?), and a head-up display.
Photo: Bring a Trailer
BMW were among the first to debut a HUD system capable of displaying not just speed, but also various fault warnings and cruise control settings. Just a fun fact.
As for performance, underneath the hood of this car lies BMW’s iconic 5.0-liter S85 V10 engine, featuring a semi-dry-sump lubrication system, individual throttle bodies, and double-Vanos variable valve timing. It sends 500 horsepower (507 ps) and 384 lb-ft (520 Nm) of torque to the rear wheels via a seven-speed SMG single-clutch sequential gearbox and an M Variable differential.
These cars were a bit quicker than advertised. BMW would have us believe in a 0-60 mph time of about 4.7 seconds, but various independent tests often found the E60 M5 to be capable of reaching 60 mph nearly half a second faster than originally reported.
Sergiu got to experience both American and European car "scenes" at an early age (his father drove a Ford Fiesta XR2 supermini in the 80s). After spending over 15 years at local and international auto publications, he's starting to appreciate comfort behind the wheel more than raw power and acceleration. Full profile
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