BMW has built a lot of special edition cars over the years, some rarer than others. The M540i from the E34 era is among the most exclusive of the bunch. Aside from the fact that just 32 units were ever made, the sports sedan was only sold in Canada. There’s now a high-mileage example finished in Hellrot up for grabs on Cars & Bids. At the moment of writing, the highest bid is $25,000, with six days until the listing ends.
Naturally, C&B founder Doug DeMuro couldn’t miss the opportunity to take a close look at the relatively obscure M Performance version of the third-generation 5 Series. This car has about 214,469 kilometers on the clock, so around 133,264 miles. Given its age and mileage, it’s not in perfect condition but not bad either. It remains original, save for some Bilstein and H&R suspension upgrades.
If you’re unfamiliar with the M540i, it came after the M5 was discontinued in North America where BMW sold a similar 540i M-Sport in the United States. There were some differences between the Canadian and the less exclusive US model of which 200 units were built. The M540i got the Euro-spec M5’s brakes and lowered suspension, plus nicer 18-inch wheels and some of the body upgrades.
What’s a bit odd is that BMW sold the M540i with a V8 whereas the M5 E34 had smaller six-cylinder engines, regardless of where it was sold. Although this car had less horsepower than the full-fat M5, it did have more torque. The 4.0-liter engine was rated at 282 hp and 295 lb-ft, routed to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox.
Currently located in California, the car in question was number ninth in the production sequence. It passed CARB testing and is titled in CA. As one would expect from a limited-run special edition, this was a high-end version with loads of standard kit. Goodies varied from a power sunroof and electric windows to air conditioning and cruise control. However, the V8 plus manual gearbox combo makes the M540i so desirable, with the great styling being the cherry on top.
Source: Cars & Bids
