Driving BMW's E34 M5 Touring - One Of The Rarest M5s Made!
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- The E34 has a legendary reputation and the M5 version even more so. This is an ultra rare touring version, which was only made in left hand drive. Today I drive it and find out if the e34 M5 really is as good as some say!
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I had a 520i E34 touring and loved it, great looking body and the sound from those 6cyl engines was unique. I cried the day I had to part with it:)
Built in the days when BMW employed sighted designers for the front end.
It's not overhyped. All the German manufacturers lost the plot after the 2000s and cheapened the product while adding tech.
Except for Porsche!
The others had 3 phases:
1.) We don't earn money, we need to be more profitable
2.) We are swimming in money, but quality went down the toilet and customers are complaining
3.) We have reached a good compromise between quality and profits, but we have no clue why people buy all these models we have released that have nothing to do with our brand
Agree. The increased use of poor quality 'breaky-breaky' plastics, especially located within the hot turbo-charged engine bay has certainly driven down the quality of the German cars - very sad.
I had an early E34 M5 3.6 and it was a marvellous car. Lovely chassis and no driver aids, except ABS. Was so much fun. I agree with your views on the steering, the only other thing i could fault was it's lack of torque at lower RPM. But wind it up and it went like a stabbed rat!
Lack of torque ? 😂
Well 525ix has rack an pinion steering 😉
This car, in a wagon, is about perfect. Never came to Australia as it is left hand drive. Love the sound of that engine.
I got a face-lift E34 with the 1,8l and autobox. It's not quick, it's not sporty and I absolutely love it to pieces.
You just can't argue with the way the Germans do(did) things. You can't really compare a 164 in particular with an e34 m5.
You're driving an L plate flagship, that has suspension modes. Take the 156 gta what, several year later. Only 250hp, no adaptive suspension, not as well built, FWD(!)
This was an awesome automobile for its time, no question. Great review of a classic. Absolutely criminal they didn't do a RHD version
From a time when BMW build quality cars…..as always a very enthusiastic video. Thank you
Great that you’ve reviewed an E34 again.
I love my 540i Touring, it’s a manual version and is still a very capable car. I agree that the steering isn’t great but as a complete package it’s amazing.
I love these Our neighbors in the marina had an E34 M5 touring in Daytona Violet. One of my friends had two E34 M5's sedans and my late father in law had an E34 M5 saloon as well. It was the last car he bought and owned it until he passed away. It's been ages since I last sat in one. Thank you for this trip down memory lane.
Love the video, love all your videos - but about competetive cars: Are you deliberately avoiding Audi? What about the RS2 Avant, S2 Saloon, S2 Avant, S4 Saloon, S4 Avant, S4 4.2 Saloon, S4 4.2 Avant?…
(all of those where 6-speed btw)
Great video, Jack! Always adored BMWs of this era. In addition to the cars mentioned, the Audi 200 Avant Turbo Quattro (wagon ) had a bit of the same “wagon-racer” feel. Very luxurious and capable, although not quite the same horsepower. I was a passenger in it occasionally, and remember it could run effortlessly for hours on the Autobahn in excess of 200kph. Keep the great vids coming!
the only competition was the Volvo 850 turbo estate around that time. both awesome cars, the T5-R I might add
Beside all the cars you have mentioned beside the E34 M5 - there is also another car which almost never gets mentioned nowhere. I have been already driving 3 Limousines and 2 Statio Wagons of it and our well known Top Gear presenter in person has done the test back then. It is the Mitsubishi Sigma 3.0 V6- 24 V with 205 HP !
@2:30 ... the lotus carlton... you're welcome 😂
Just love your reviews Jack. So honest, no bullshit, and fantastic trips down memory lane and beyond. Great content! 🚘🔥💫👏👏👏👏
My god!! The interior of that car must've been restored recently, it looks absolutely brand new! BMW never brought the E34 M5 Touring to the US, tho some did make it over eventually. Would love to grab one after seeing your drive Jack! Thanks!
Very nice video of a brilliant car! Absolutely love the way the E34 M5 looks! One of BMW's best saloon car designs imo.
Also, I would like to mention, Jack, that you forgot the main rival of the M5 saloon in period: the Lotus Carlton. Both straight 6 engines, both RWD, both executive-size 4 door saloons... although the Carlton is much rarer and more expensive. And for the video subject - the M5 Touring, its rival would be the Audi RS 2 Avant.
RS2 ? Nope... Audi 80 is a lower category than the 5 Series...
I like you Jack had forgotten about this Touring, when you said they were only made in LHD then I remembered, I agree with you that these were a good car and well made. Thanks for the review Jack and BTW nice to have different scenery for a change :) ! 👍👍
Great video on a Fantastic BMW.
I was a seriel BMW owner for many years but sold my last one in 2014 just don't like the new stuff you're a younger man so possibly see things differently.
Been in the Mototrade for 45 years and the Best Van I ever had was a E34 touring 525i.
The front grille looks like the non-face lifted version. So if unmodified it’s a 3.6 with 311 bhp? But this particular car’s engine looks like the updated B38 so I guess it’s a 3.8 340bhp. This is one of the last very handsome BMWs made.
All factory Tourings were 3.8's. The face lifts with the wider grill were 6 speed with bigger brakes and M parallel wheels, pre face lift were 5 speed with the throwing star wheels.
Unreal coincidence but driving around today I saw an e34 M5 sedan and 10 minutes later I saw a nice e34 wagon (not an M5). Now this video!
I’d have one if I ever had the opportunity. Thanks for making this episode Zio Jack
Il nostro proprio zio Jack!
Thanks Jack, glad it lived up to your expectations, looked odd having no badge on the steering wheel. See you found some new roads to! 🙏🙏
They are great machines, and the last of the straight six in the range topper 5 series - The E39 is even better IMO
You forgot a few competitors, the biggest one is half German and English, the Lotus Carlton as you were in the 3,8 and not 3,6 and the Bentley Turbo R😂
Also you are mixing Maserati's up the 430 is a 3 series competitor, not a 5 - a QP would be a sort of better rival (though it is a tiny bit heavier and bigger, but it has a 4,9l V8)
Anyway, keep up the good work, love those reviews
What a fantastic car! I don't think you can really beat a Hot estate..... just so cool for some reason Jack 👍
Loved my 1991 M5 - stunning car and surprisingly quick. Saw a corrected 170 plus mph on the Autobahn but it was still pulling as it approached the rev limit in top. Odd that the facelift cars had a 6 speed box as well as the slightly bigger 3.6, not 3.5 litre engine as you said, yet the one you tested is still a 5 speed. Ah well. They were indeed the last hand built M cars, where the body was shipped to the M car plant and the M bits fitted taking a week and one person to do the job. It was said it was possible to look closely at each car and tell who built it! Dunno if it’s true but a nice story. Lovely car to steer on the throttle in the wet too despite its size.
You should try an e34 540 6 speed touring. They are really good. Lots of low down grunt from the v8 where the m5 is a bit more up top of the rev range.
That WAS the Ultimate Driving Machine!
Hi Jack, very nice car and the exhaust sound of that M5 is intoxicating.
In looking for competitors to the M5 at the time, esp. as station wagons. The obvious one you did not mention was the Lancia Thema 8.32 from 1988 on. It was only available as a sedan, although Gianni Agnelli (naturally) had a one-off station wagon version. To my knowledge, the W124 Mercedes-Benz 500E (built by Porsche, as far as I remember) was never available as a station wagon. And this is some 30 years before Porsche built one (Taycan Turismo), unless you tongue-in-cheek choose to call the 924/928/944 a wagon.
Peak BMW and peak M5.
The E39 M5 is a better car in every way - apart from giving you the fizz. An E39 M5 feels like a really fast 540i. I own an E34 540i and my Dad used to have an E34 M5 3.8 6 speed, the E34 M5 feels like a completely different car to the 540i.
The S38 Straight 6 is INFINITELY more special than the S62.
Such a tough call between the E34 and E39 being the best ever five series…
Owned both and still miss them.
E28 was also groundbreaking for its time. Bulletproof drive train that could last hundreds of thousands of miles.
Really understated looks but a brilliant car and engine.
Thanks for another great video.
Greetings from the Netherlands
I love the M5s with the straight six.
The competition of the time has either been forgotten because they didn't quite cut it and mostly not sold in same numbers, or in the case of the 500E made in such tiny numbers that not really a competitor for most customers of the time,
Beautiful and elegant looking car with a great engine. One of the all time great straight sixes.
Beautiful time capsule.
I have a 2005 e61 550i manual Jack if you fancy a drive of that anytime, it might not have an “M” badge but it’s a proper wolf in sheep’s clothing
I remember John Barker(Performance Car/ Evo) loved these, especially with a twist of Lock, and always intrigued me.
The Cars closest rival to the M5 was the Jag XJR with it's 4.0 Str6 Supercharged. I'd love to see a Comparison with that!
Nice corelation with recent Hagerty video :D
An absolute holy grail for me but absolutely unobtainable and I wouldn't dare to daily this, given how exceedingly rare they are (not to mention fuel costs and parts availability/ prices...).
Lovely car, had it as my daily for a good few years and glad I owned one... but it was the fuel costs and the parts/servicing costs that were the main reason I sold it... parts were crazy prices. When I look at how rare they are now and how much they're worth now it's a shame I sold it.
It is the Audi C4 (S4/S6) in avant version that BMW probably went after.
That thing looks mint... Like it jus rolled off the assembly line.
There was a even more rare version of the e34 M5 Touring with a automatic transmission. I would prefer that because it is so rare.
BMW pre 2000 were built to last 25 years plus, and paid for in cash. Post 2000 cars are designed to be recycled within 10 years, purchased as a lease car to be traded-in for another new car. Mercedes were always much more expensive and AMG cars were designed for a completely different clientele. Please see Patina Collective.
Great review and great car, thanks Jack.
Jack this M5 is beautiful. It's the perfect blue & I've always loved station wagons.
I own two E34 sedans. I refuse to ever sell either, as took me a few to end up with good examples.
How they are designed and put together was enough to push me over the into studing mech. engineering, and I absolutely love it.
My E34s have the M20 engine and it is not fast, but they are exactly how I want them. Simple, mechanical, well handeling, over built and comfortable with German quality, but without all the unecesary bs that gets kicked to the bin when entropy does its thing.
The Lotus Carlton was one those rival to the 4 door BMW M5.
I think the steering was always a bit mehhh on these because they still used a box and drop link instead of a rack. I do feel this era of BMW was the last of the truly great well built BMW's before they let profit massively get in the way of quality but I am biased because I left working for BMW when the E36 was in it's first year or two of release.
Rip Giorgi Tevzadze the legend of E34🇬🇪
I knew he would like it 👍🇺🇲 I have two e34 sedans and one E39 wagon❤
A splendid machine. Much want
E30 and E34 best looking Bmw station wagons ever?🥰
Oh if I had the cash, an E34 3.8 M5 touring 6 speed would be too off my list. A lot of M5 aficionados are pretty rough on the e34 but for me it’s the sweet spot, big enough and modern enough to be a great everyday classic. Thanks for this…… now where’s that Euromillions ticket I had in my jeans last week?
I am curious if Alpina built any touring versions of the Biturbo six. Likely some with the V8 B10. A few years later, they did build the 3 series touring with a V8.
I don't think they did. But that Biturbo 6 saloon is really special
What a great car - would love to have one some day (would settle for an e34 540 wagon)
This is from the time when M5s were relevant, this was a car you could use everyday and exploit the performance on the road. Today the M5s look l8ke a pair of clown shoes with all the aero and whilst you can get round the Ring much quicker you can't exploit that performance on the road to any great extent unless plan on doing prison time, whilst you have to live day in day out with the hard ride and seats.
Great video of a great bimmer wagon
Stunning example and a dream car
Please add an E21 323i to your list! Here in the US we only got the 1.8 M10 at ~100 hp, and big bumpers. A lot of us have no idea what how good an e21 can be
Agree, I had one years ago, picked it up for just £375 and it was a great car to drive (W reg if i remember correctly) - it was also surprisingly quick for its age. The suspension on mine was a little springy but that's to be expected on an old car. Replaced it with a 323i E30... found it a nicer car but didn't quite have the character the E21 had. Replaced that with the M5 E34 :)
Very nice SUV! Looks good and i guess drives great!
I'd still choose the Maserati 430 over this much more exclusive more exciting more luxurious interior Giorgetto Giugiaro design more operatic orchestral engine sound etc...
Back in the 90s i would say the only serious competitor the M5 E34 had was the Audi 100 S4 and the Audi V8
Mercedes had nothing and there was nothing similar from other countries.
Maybe a fast XJR but again, they feel like a boat compared to the Audi and BMW.
hi will you make a review of a hindustan ambassador or austin A50
Badass. No much more to say really.
Seeing one of these would definitely raise a smile. New cars just look bland.
Alfa 33 SW
Abarth 600/1050 (A112 engine)
Abarth SIMCA 2000
BMW 2002 M
Cisitalia Abarth 205
Autobianchi Abarth A112
FIAT Abarth 850 OT 1600/2000
FIAT 126 Giannini 800
FIAT Abarth 131 Rallye (Millefiori)
I think that the steering was recirculating bollocks back then.
🤣
Had a BMW 325i Touring and loved it. But now in a Ford S-max with 200HP and turbo. The mid-range punch makes it such a fast car, quicker than this classic M5s in daily traffic. Turbo's today are ACE ... and yes it even handles better being a large MPV Go-cart!
🤣🤣🤣What planet you on 200 hp s max faster than an M5 🙄
Would have taken a lotus carlton then and id Still take 1 over that now 👍👌
I need more content on yr rover 75
Please
The rival of the BMW M5 E34 is certainly not the weak Alfa 164 or the strange Maserati, but the Opel Lotus Omega, stronger and faster than all. 😉
Who lists a 200bhp Alfa as an M5 competitor but forgets about the Audi RS2 Avant. Shame on you. Or the Lotus Carlton come to think of it.
I have one flaw. They have a bloody steering box instead of a rack& pinion.
Looks better than e39 wagon
I don't even have to watch the video all I have to do is say yes imagine adding extra weight to the worst possible spot high in the rear of the car...
E34 M5 3.6 much better car both reliability and performance
People who say the 3.8 is better don’t understand they were not reliable like a 3.6 and the 3.8 was heavier 😂
They don’t mention that when they spout about 3.8’s it’s more lardy 🥷🏿
Audi RS2 would come close to this - still prefer the BMW though.
Surely sir you are mistaken , its just another mundane estate second hand car . £850 at best .
You mean over-hyped like most British cars of the last sixty years….
The E34 was the best car I ever had. I still regret selling it :-(
Some good ones are still around out there :)
Great video on a masterpiece. More videos on classic BMW and Mercedes cars please and less on dodgy Alfas and Lancias.
On the contrary please let's have more videos on Lancia and Alfa Romeo and less on boring common BMW and Mercedes just not special or interesting.
Always more Alfa and Lancia! Macchine con anima!
It's Maserati Bi Turbo, not Bee Turbo.
It's Italian though so maybe he's correct?
Bee is how it would be said in Italian, and since it's an Italian car...
Mine is Italian pronunciation.. I’m not really bother how anyone else pronounces it though! 😃
E34 was the best looking 5 series, change my mind.
I don't want to change your mind. It's by far the best looking 5 series. Especially as a touring guy😊
if the e28s exhaust would be more to the outside of the bumper im not sure. but irl yes.
Such a hamdsome car, strikes a great balance between luxury and performance.
These were quite popular here in Norway because of the unique way our taxation on cars worked at the time. What they did was to remove the back seats and put in a divider wall and then it became a work van in the eyes of the tax collectors. It resulted in a reduction from 80-130% tax to about 28%, so a big big difference. After 10 years you could put the back seats in free of charge and change the car over to a normal vehicle. God bless and lots of love from Norway.
My maternal grandparents left Norway early in the 20th century, with good reason it seems.
@@3ducs Yeah it’s really hard to live in one of the richest countries on earth with free healthcare education a good pension and a functioning government. Unlike a country that can’t do 10 years without starting a new war…. The beauty of our nature ain’t half bad either.
@@rekleif Never being in the EU helps!
@@rekleif Very pretty country but very closely controlled. Some of us don't like that. Oil has been very good for Norway, hasn't it?
Always some cool bypass! Thanks for sharing
It's an epic car from an epic era. The steering was just right to crunch kilometers on the Autobahn at high speeds
Omigosh...I would love to be able to have this estate M5. The cool factor is legitimately through the roof! Thanks to whomever let you test this awesome car. Great video Jack!
Overhyped or not, I love this generation of 5 series - the subtle update from the original in terms of styling, then with the estate, even a subtle nod to the Triumph 2500 estate - Michelotti was a design consultant to BMW at around the same time that he was doing his wonderful work for Triumph, and had a hand in the Neue Klasse design language. I know this is a much later car, and designed by Ercole Spada - but you can see some 2500 estate influences in the E34……honest! The interior is peak BMW, when their driver focus dashboard design was at its zenith - I always liked the switchgear and instruments from this era - high quality, clear, concise and classy. Having a BMW in the era in which this launched was a very special thing - you really had to be well healed to afford one - the majority of buyers went for more mainstream manufacturers. Contrast with today, when it seems that every other car on the road is a Beemer.
I watch quite a few of these You Tube car channels from the likes of Samcrac, Hoovie, and Ratarossa to the great Harry and I have to say that this channel by Jack is the one I currently most look forward to. Keep up the good work Jack and thanks for the entertainment.
I had a 1992 E34 535i Sport and no other car I've had since then had comparable build quality, not as quick as the M5 obviously but boy did I have fun in it as a 22 year old! It's the only car I miss...
Had a 535 Sport before my M5. Loved it but the M5 had 50% more power - 330bhp vs 220 and it really made a big difference. Great cars. 😊
Oh I would love to have one of these. I can’t believe people didn’t buy them in bigger numbers. Of the time only the RS2 truly could compare in practical performance and even then it was a smaller platform, though it would be hilarious if they made an estate version of the Lotus Carlton.
The 90’s for road cars was amazing imo. Enough modern tech for comfort and daily use. But before all the restrictions came in . They didn’t have to be styled around safety as much , Cars were all much lighter which was great 👍
But I do appreciate modern cars performance is wild now
Thank you for doing yet another great review on this wonderful chassis. As an E34 M5 3.6 and 525i (M50) owner, I can confirm that the overall driving experience of these old beasts is cerntainly special.
How about the Audi RS2? Looks like it is a valid contender.
audi s2 avant? did they even make these?
Yeah you see them on the continent here or there, big money but not RS2 money. There’s also the Audi s4 Avant but can’t really hold a candle to the M5, maybe in later V8 form.
A super cool and very rare car! First real sport estate? Came out before the RS2. It got a 6-speed in 1994 (last year).
Great review of a great car Jack. I had a BMW E39 528 and it's still the best driving car I've owned. I also owned an Audi A6 and drove a Merc E Class from the same period (which I felt were the direct competitors for the 5 series) and they just weren't nearly as good to drive, even if the specs were similar on paper.
I had an E49 528 for 20 years! The car was a legend. It had 236,000 miles on it when I sold it. I even put an Xbox in the boot with screens in the back for my son 😀
It is a difficult choice E34 or E39 I've had both. For myself I think the E34 is the better overall car but the rack and pinion steering used on inline 6 E39s is definitely better than the E34s recirculating ball system. I currently have a '94 3.6l M5 which is used for traveling out of town, it consumes distances at speed effortlessly.