Skip to main content

Gott im Himmel! BMW’s 30 Jahre M5 is the most powerful production BMW ever

The BMW M5 sports sedan turns 30 this year, and last month the Bavarian brigade hinted that it had a surprise in store for this special time.

That surprise is finally here in the form of the 30 Jahre M5, or 30th Anniversary Edition BMW M5, and it’s definitely worthy of the occasion. Whereas many carmakers are content to make a model “special” with different paint and some extra badges, BMW has done this properly.

For starters, the 30th Anniversary Edition is the most powerful production BMW ever. Its 4.4-liter turbocharged V8 is rated at 600 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, enough to get this four-door sedan from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds.

Like all previous M5 models, this one contains explosive power in fairly restrained packaging.

The special edition is distinguished by Frozen Dark Silver Metallic paint and 20-inch M alloy wheels on the outside, and a leather and Alcantara-trimmed interior on the inside. There are also plenty of “30 Jahre M5” badges to prevent confusion.

30th Anniversary Edition BMW M5
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Each 30th Anniversary Edition also comes with an invitation to a one-day BMW M driving school event at The Thermal Club in Palm Springs, California.

In keeping with the 30th anniversary theme, only 30 of these special-edition cars will be imported to the United States, with global production totaling just 300 units.

The base price is $138,275, but getting one of the cars will require more than a checkbook.

The first 29 examples (the last will be retained by BMW) will go to customers who reserve them by dialing a dedicated hotline at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21. That number will be revealed bit by bit on BMW USA’s Instagram channel (@BMWUSA) beginning May 17.

So you have the same chance of owning the most powerful production BMW ever as you do of winning concert tickets from your local radio station.

Editors' Recommendations

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
BMW teases hydrogen cars again with fuel cell X5 concept
bmw i hydrogen next concept fuel cell vehicle 2019 frankfurt motor show

Previous

Next

Read more
At IFA, Qualcomm and BMW unveil the world’s first 5G connected car — almost
getting up close and personal with bmws vision inext bmw announced 29461

Qualcomm President Cristiano Amon, left, and Christoph Grote, SVP of Electronics at BMW, chat ahead of Amon's keynote at the 2019 IFA show. Jeremy Kaplan / Digital Trends

From Reinhardstrasse to Scheidemannstrasse in the heart of Berlin, there’s simply no parking right now. You’ll know this if you drive those broad boulevards, of course, but you’ll also know it if you get into any BMW in the city. Because citywide, almost every BMW cruising the streets of Germany and elsewhere in Europe is using ultrasonic sensors to scan for parking spaces -- and tell nearby cars where there’s a spot.

Read more
This armored BMW X5 is designed to protect against drone attacks
bmw x5 protection vr6 armored suv

Previous

Next

Read more