The Seven Best BMW 5-Series of All Time

For having so much power, these cars can be scarily cheap to buy.

While it's not quite an M5, M550d drivers likely won't care. Using a 3.0-liter inline six with three turbochargers, this diesel 5 Series makes 376 horsepower and 546 lb.-ft. of torque. That's a serious amount of twist. And did we mention the part about three turbochargers?

It's not as sporty or as powerful as versions that came later, but the original 5 Series will always have a place in our hearts. After all, this is the one that started it all. And more than 40 years later, we still think it looks fantastic.

The E39 540i will forever live in the M5's shadow, but it's arguably the better daily driver. You had to trade the six-speed manual for an automatic if you wanted the wagon version, but few vehicles can match the 540i Touring's blend of practicality, power, and fun.

Not to be confused with the later E28 with the same name, the E12 M535i widely considered to be the M5's predecessor. Its 3.5-liter inline six made 210 horsepower, which might not sound like a lot today, but it was more than twice what you got in the original 518i.

Building a better M5 is always going to be a challenge, but BMW tried its best with the E60 M5. It stuffed a 5.0-liter V10 into the engine compartment that was good for 500 horsepower and 380 lb.-ft. of torque. While that was crazy enough at the time, what was even crazier is that BMW also offered it as a station wagon.

No list celebrating the BMW 5 Series would be complete without the original M5. In the U.S., BMW used a 3.5-liter inline six that made 256 horsepower and 243 lb.-ft. of torque. At the time, that was enough to make it the fastest sedan in the world.

Newer M5s pack more power and more impressive performance, but the E39 M5 is still as good as it gets. You get a 400-horsepower, naturally aspirated V8, rear-wheel drive, and a manual transmission paired with fantastic handling. As far as we're concerned, it's the M5.