Listen as the First BMW M5 Screams Down the Autobahn

The first-generation BMW M5 is one of the coolest sedans on the planet. Released in the mid-1980s, it combined stately looks with a comfortable interior and a motorsport-derived straight-six engine that sounded incredible. Even 40 years later, it remains a car to aspire to.

The AutoTopNL YouTube channel got the chance to take an E28-generation M5 onto the speed-limitless Autobahn highway in Germany, giving us a first-hand look at how the four-door supercar can handle high-speed runs after decades on the road. 

Surprising to no one, this M5 can still hang with (and easily surpass) modern traffic on the Autobahn. The driver is able to reach a GPS-indicated 228 km/h (141 mph) before having to slow down for approaching traffic. Don’t forget, when the M5 debuted, it was one of the fastest cars on the planet, with a top speed of 152 mph.

Even more impressive than the speed is the M5’s sound. That 3.5-liter naturally aspirated straight-six revs to 6,900 rpm, offering bundles of raspy goodness through each gear. Compared to today’s countless turbocharged power plants, it’s a religious experience, even through a microphone.

In an age when forced induction, hybridization, and massive curb weights are the norm, it’s impossible to expect the M5 to ever return to such a purist state. We can only admire what once was … and continue to browse the classifieds for cheap E28s.