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The BMW 5 Series is arguably BMW's flagship model. Created in the early 1970s, the original 520 saloon was only sold in Europe because with only 115-125 horsepower, it did not appeal to the American car-buying public. By 1975, however, BMW had improved the series and created a 530i model that not only increased output to 176 horsepower from its 3.0 litre engine, but also exceeded the new American emissions regulations. For these reasons, as well as the 530i's styling, BMW 5 Series sales took off.
1979 saw a breakaway success with the production of the M535i, sold only in Europe. Featuring a 3.5 litre straight-six engine the car could produce 218 horsepower. The M535i featured a large bore short stroke engine that only came as a manual five-speed.
The early 80s saw minor changes to the model designs that mostly involved aerodynamics, style, the use of newer, more lightweight materials and more electronics. Ergonomics were taken into consideration to create a much more driver-friendly environment. The bigger changes waited until 1989 and later to make their appearance and included a longer wheel base, MacPherson struts for the front suspension, and a sleeker design with an extremely low (0.30 to 0.32 cd) drag coefficient.
Minor tweaking of an already good design followed, with the inclusion of standard airbags and optional Automatic Stability Control (ASC). 1992 saw the introduction of more horsepower for the BMW 5 Series cars, with 12 more valves and a total of 189 horsepower, while the M5 offered 24 valves and a total of 310 horsepower.
In 1997 new BMW 5 Series styling was introduced, making the 5 Series sportier and closer to the M5 in looks. By 2000 the M5s offered a 5.0 litre engine and could put out nearly 400 horsepower. The next year the 530i debuted a 3.0 litre engine that put out 225 horsepower. Today's models integrate high technology, making the car a stunner in looks, performance, and style. Used BMW 5 Series cars tend to be an excellent buy, and hold their value well in today's market.