2003 BMW M5 E39

The BMW M5 from the E39 5 series is quite rightly regarded as a high point or if you prefer, sweet spot in the illustrious history of BMW Motorsport cars, or indeed of all sporting saloon cars. The 5.0 V8 400 bhp engine coupled with 6 speed manual gearbox in a beautifully built and fine handling compact (by today’s standards for sure) saloon body makes for an effortless and yet engaging and practical driving tool. The nearest anyone’s got to a four door 911? I am not the only one who thinks so.

Needless to say no one bought one of these excellent cars to drive slowly and their ability to absorb high mileages means it is increasingly difficult to find a virtually a new example. This is a challenge I often accept and with this M5 I think I’ve succeeded.

This late production car, built in February 2003 for the UK market is one of the desirable facelift examples with all the detail improvements that midlife upgrade brought including an improved VANOS system. It is finished to a great specification, is virtually unmarked and immaculate throughout and has covered only 31,000 miles in the hands of three owners and comes with a full and detailed history from new.

The M5 was ordered in November 2002 from North London BMW dealer Stephen James by a Director of the Cannon Avent Group, maker of car rubber mats amongst many other products. As detailed in the original order form on file the specification was carefully chosen to include Le Mans Blue paintwork with special order Caramel Nappa Heritage Individual interior.

In addition to the generous specification options chosen included:

Delete rear spoiler

Ski Bag

Gruyère Wood Trim

Single CD player

Sun roof

Following its completion at the factory in February 2003, the PDI was completed by Stephen James BMW on the 28th of February 2003 as noted in the original stamped service book and was registered and supplied on the 6th March 2003 following the settling of the purchase invoice totalling £50,685.

The car returned to Stephen James for the running in service at 1,601 miles on the 2nd April 2003 and this supplying dealer continued to maintain it until February 2012 when this first owner sold the M5 to Sytner BMW at 24,000 miles. Tellingly the M5 was part exchanged by the first owner for a new Alpina B5 BiTurbo and in hindsight one can see that this is probably a more natural progression than the offering from BMW Motorsport at the time. This transaction is recorded in the invoice on file.

The second owner of this M5 purchased it from Sytner BMW on the 24th of February 2012 at 24,210 miles, again the invoicing is on file. It joined his fine car collection and he was clearly an E39 M5 aficionado with two others in the collection.

This second owner retained the M5 until 2020 and used it sparingly, the mileage rising to just 27,000 miles in his tenure. It was carefully stored when not in use and continued to be maintained as per schedule by Sytner BMW and supplying dealer Stephen James.

This again is documented in service book stamps and invoicing.

In 2000 the M5 was offered for sale by Classic BMW specialists Classic Heros who had known the car well from 2012. It was purchased in September 2020 by a regular customer of theirs and mine, a fastidious collector who only considers the finest examples of their type. He continued to use the car sparingly and carefully whilst using Classic Hero’s for maintenance as detailed in further invoicing on file.

Today the M5 has covered 30,700 miles, the last few hundred being covered by me on a recent drive back from Cornwall. The car presents virtually as new in all respects with unmarked paintwork and perfect detail. On the road it performs superbly and as I remember them when new, amazingly capable, comfortable, still very quick and so much more engaging than modern equivalents.

It comes with all books in the correct wallet, tools, keys and the above-mentioned history file.

If only I could keep them all…