The Evolution of the BMW M5 E39
The BMW M5 E39. It's a beast of a car, mixing raw power with everyday luxury. Back when they built it, the whole project took some unexpected turns. Pull back the curtain, and you see how close it came to a completely different setup—one with engines that never made it past the drawing board.
Initial Considerations
Early on, BMW's team kicked around all sorts of ideas. Some stuck to the old ways. They thought about keeping the straight-six that powered the E28 and E34 M5s. A turbo version popped up too, balancing pep with better mileage. Then there was the wild card: a V6. Crazy, right? BMW never built one.
The Final Decision
Those smaller engine ideas got scrapped. BMW went big with a 5.0-liter V8, the S62, ditching the old S38. Project leader Alex Hildebrandt spilled the beans on why. The company didn't want to sink cash into a new motor for what they figured would be a short U.S. run. The E34 M5? It bombed there—only 1,476 sold, about 13% of total output.
Investment vs. Reward
“In the end, the company was not prepared to spend the money to develop an engine for only 2–3,000 cars a year,” Hildebrandt explained. “So this idea [of a six-cylinder engine] was buried, but we’d lost two years of development, a lot of time.”
Shifting Focus to the V8
So what flipped the script from six-cylinders to that V8? M division boss Karlheinz Kalbfell loved the inline-six for its smarts. But American buyers? They craved more grunt. He saw the shift coming.
That's the catch.
Rushing to Production
Switching to the V8 threw everything off. The team lost two full years. They had to rework the M62 engine into the S62 from scratch. That meant a new block and bumping displacement to 5.0 liters from 4.4. They beefed up the oil setup. The intake got eight throttle bodies, one per cylinder. Redline jumped to 6,600 rpm from 5,700. Stateside, it pumped out 394 horses.
Competitive Edge
A six-speed manual set it apart from rivals. The Mercedes E55 and Jaguar XJR? Autos only. At $69,500 to start, it hit the sweet spot. Sales boomed—out of 20,482 built, almost half went to the U.S. By June 2003, 9,198 were gone.
The Legacy of the S62 Engine
That S62 didn't stop at the M5. It ended up in the Z8 roadster. Even race cars got a taste. Choices back then shaped the E39. They rippled out, too.
A Broader Impact
Engine picks for the E39 M5 look like inside baseball. But they mirror what drivers wanted, especially in the U.S. Bigger power won out. Performance fans still chase that rush. It shows up in rentals, too—folks book muscle sedans for trips or just to feel the kick.
Looking Ahead
The E39's story teaches carmakers and rental outfits a thing or two. Spot what drivers crave—power, thrill—and stock up. Tweak your fleet to match, and watch bookings climb.
A Personal Experience Among the Ranks
Take a rental company. Stock E39-style rides, and customers get the speed fix without buying. GetRentacar.com does this right. They've got everything from sleek limos to drop-top sports cars. Renters pick what fits their vibe.
Your Next Adventure Awaits
Tech keeps pushing cars forward. But nothing beats the real drive. Reviews? They help. The open road in something fast? That's the truth. At GetRentacar.com, grab verified cars cheap. Easy picks, no hassle. Go premium without the hit. Head to GetRentaCar.com and book today.
Conclusion
Building the E39 M5? Pure drama on market bets and tech bets. Ditching small engines for the V8 changed the game. It echoes in rentals now—car market trends push variety and deals. Nail those, and your next drive turns epic. Check options, book smart, hit the gas.
