When it came time for BMW to develop the follow-up to the E39 M5, they had quite a job in front of them. With the outgoing car widely considered one of the greatest driver’s cars of all time, they would need to really hit the next-generation car out of the park to keep the enthusiasm up. When the new model debuted in 2004, BMW’s choice of powertrain was all people could talk about- a 5.0 liter V10. At this time, BMW was involved with the Williams Formula 1 program, which was running a 3.0 liter V10 in its race cars, and it is said this is what inspired the unique engine selection. Also, for the first time in the M5’s history, it was only available with a 7-speed SMG paddle shift gearbox (although a 6-speed manual was later offered in North America). At the time, this was about as close as you could get to an F1 car with a sedan body, leading to more than 20,500 units over the car’s 5-year production run.

Completed in January 2006, this 2006 M5 was sold new at Towne BMW in Williamsville, New York, and shows just 37,548 miles at the time of cataloging. The delivering dealership also took care of all the service requirements during its life until BMW Treasure Coast took the reigns ensuring everything was up to date prior to the vehicle arriving at Enthusiast Auto Group. Finished in Alpine White over Sepang Bronze Extended leather, this car has been meticulously cared for from new and remains in near showroom condition. The E60 M5 was perhaps the final BMW M car that lived up to the brand’s “Q-Ship” nature- although there were many exterior modifications made to the car that were instantly noticeable to enthusiasts, to the average person sitting in traffic, this car could be mistaken for a 535i with a different set of wheels. That being said, numerous changes were, in fact, made, such as increased track width, which necessitated the need for wider fenders, and both the front and rear fascias were revised with the openings up front expanding for more cooling, while the rear bumper made way for BMW’s signature quad exhaust tips.

The interior of the E60 M5 was a massive leap forward from the E39 both from a technology and luxury standpoint. On this car, the seats, door cards, and center console are wrapped in stunning Sepang Bronze extended leather, which is paired with a rich Madeira Walnut wood trim on the dashboard, center console, and door pulls. Although light-colored interiors like this begin to show wear more quickly than black or brown, it is a testament to how well this car has been kept that both the front and rear seats are blemish-free and show no bolster wear or scratches to note. Open the door and slide behind the steering wheel, and you are met with a 200 mph speedometer and BMW’s second iteration of a tachometer with a moveable redline. When the engine reaches operating temperature, that redline has sunk all the way to 8,250 rpm, and you are ready to have fun. But if you’re driving fast and don’t want to take your eyes off the road, a heads-up display puts your speed, gear, and revs right in your line of sight so you can concentrate on what is important.

The true masterpiece of the E60 M5 is the V10 -known as the S85-that sits under the hood. This was one of the very few times in BMW M history, they developed an engine that was not based on any other engine in the brand’s stable. This all-alloy 90-degree 5.0 liter V10 is fitted with four valves per cylinder and individual throttle bodies, produces 500 horsepower at 7,750 rpm and 384 lb-ft of torque at 6,100 rpm. Although BMW claimed a 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds, Car and Driver were able to make the run in 4.2 seconds, with 100 mph coming up in just 9.4 and BMW’s electronically limited 155 mph top end was actually more like 190 mph when the limiter was removed. This engine sends power through a 7-speed SMG III single-clutch automated manual gearbox with paddle shifters. The E60 was the first M5 offered with anything other than a 3-pedal manual, but the choice made sense given the car’s expanding appeal among executives and those looking to use the car as a daily driver. Although this gearbox is happy trundling around town, operating much like a standard automatic, shifts could be dialed in on the center console, bringing the shift time to a staggering 65 milliseconds in full-on track mode.

Although the E60 M5 initially received some resistance among enthusiasts for its larger size and lack of manual transmission, people are finally beginning to appreciate it for the moonshot it was for BMW then. A true technical tour de force where the M engineers had a chance to show the competition what they were capable of as well as the end of the naturally aspirated engine in the M5, the E60 has undoubtedly earned its spot in the pantheon of great BMW M cars.