2003 BMW 540i M-sport edition...

**94jedi** · 07-13-2009 06:52 AM

So my wife's cousin's BF whom I haven't seen in a few years (They've been "off and on") pulls up in a e39 5 series that looks IDENTICAL to an M5, one of my "dream cars". As I'm drooling over it, I come around back, only to be disappointed and somewhat enraged to find a SINGLE DINKY TAILPIPE. WTF???!!? So I ask the kid about it and apparently he bought the car from his pops. He said it was an M-sport edition which basically has all the looks and trim of the M5, minus the M engine. I felt like calling BS on the kid but since I don't know much about BMW's, I kept my mouth shut. When I got home that night, I did some research and sure enough, it's a legit option package for BMW's of that year. That got me thinking, of course. The entry price isn't nearly what an M5 is so it might not be a bad car to get into....4.4 v8, must sound mighty nice! Only 290 hp though??? hmm...

Thoughts? oh and pics for looks:

**Slo.Mo.Shun.** · 07-13-2009 07:06 AM

Love that car, my father had a same body style 528. I would definitely try getting my hands in to a 540 mt and start modding.

**A6.S-line** · 07-13-2009 07:23 AM

Those are fun cars. The e39 M-sports are sorta rare, so you could get a regular 540i for much less and do some of the transformation yourself if you wanted. It doesn't come with the M5 wheels (as you see above), so you'd have to buy the rims yourself if you really wanted an M5 lookalike.

**davis449** · 07-13-2009 07:37 AM

E39 Sports are the best looking 5 series, hands down. I've wanted one so bad for the longest time. As long as you're in the latest yrs. of its model production, the 4.4L is a pretty reliable engine. They're fun as shit in a manual, which, IMO is the only way to go when going BMW, period. You'd be surprise what that "only 290 HP" V8 is capable of. It's only a tick slower to 60 than the M5. Remember, BMW's are NOTORIOUSLY underrated. It's their gearing that really makes them do what they do. That's why the e46's "weak ass" 225 HP V6 was still able to best the 260 HP G35 when it first came out.

**Cecchini** · 07-13-2009 09:53 AM

My dad has that same car. It may only has 290 hp but it really is much more of a torque monster. You never have to downshift to find power it is always there. I would go and test drive one. You will like it. My only question is weren't the mirrors a big giveaway that it isn't a m5?

**94jedi** · 07-13-2009 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by Cecchini

weren't the mirrors a big giveaway that it isn't a m5?

ahhhh...good call. I missed that detail. just to clarify, the car I posted isn't the one I specifically saw, just an example.

**pyro** · 07-13-2009 06:01 PM

bmw's ultrasport :)
one of my fav's too

**theredcaron** · 07-13-2009 08:10 PM

another difference in appearance between the m5 and 540 sport is the front air dam.
the 540 has those small lines running across it whereas the m5 was completely open.
I know its minor but after being into bmw's for a while you start to notice things like that.
the 540 is still a nice car nonetheless