2001 BMW M5 (E39)

Highlights

• Known to the seller for seven years

• Wonderfully original

• New Michelin tyres all-round

• Excellent history - stamped from new

• Litchfield exhaust back boxes

Overview

The automotive personification of the phrase ‘iron fist in a velvet glove’ the E39 M5 is wonderfully understated, yet packs a 400bhp V8 under the bonnet; not that a casual observer would ever know from a quick glance. That glance would certainly be quick if the driver has anything to do with it, with a sub-five-second 0-62 sprint time and an electronically limited 155mph top speed. 

All this performance doesn’t come at the expense of style or practicality, however. Whilst these days we’re used to making sacrifices in the pursuit of speed and irrelevant circuit lap times, the E39-era M5 retained all the practicality of its pedestrian 5-Series brethren, though you may find yourself visiting the local petrol station a little more often than you would in, say, a 525d. 

This example is finished in the classic shade of Le Mans Blue over a two-tone Black/Silverstone leather interior, and is mercifully standard throughout save for some additional (largely hidden) rear speakers, and fitment of some slightly more ‘woofy’ Litchfield exhaust rear silencers.

Known to the current owner for 7 years, and with the previous two owners coming from the same family, this E39 is a known quantity for the seller, and appears to have been looked after throughout its lifetime, with all but one service (way back in 2004) being carried out by either a BMW main dealer or independent specialist.

With fresh Michelin tyres all round (to address the only advisory on the recent MoT) and an otherwise clean bill of health, this M5 is ready to use and enjoy, whether its as a long-distance cruiser or a B-Road crushing cruise missile.  

History and documentation

• Registered 08 May 2001

• Supplied new by Barons BMW of Hindhead, Surrey

• Stamped service book with services as follows: Apr 2001 (PDI), May 2001 @ 1,380 miles (running in service), Dec 2001 @ 15,613 miles, Jun 2002 @ 30,782 miles, Jan 2003 @ 46,159 miles, Sep 2003 @ 63,715 miles, Jun 2004 @ 77,337 miles, Jun 2006 @ 84,524 miles, May 2008 @ 91,618 miles, May 2009 @ 93,923 miles, May 2010 @ 96,099 miles, May 2011 @ 98,436 miles, Apr 2012 @ 100,377 miles, Apr 2014 @ 103,227 miles, Apr 2015 @ 108,139 miles, Apr 2016 @ 112,129 miles, Apr 2018 @ 121,125 miles, Apr 2020 @ 132,980 miles, Oct 2022 @ 138,173 miles, Sep 2023 @ 139,445 miles, Apr 2025 @ 140,123 miles

• The service history comprises of BMW main dealer history (until Sep 2003) and then independent specialists from 2006 onward

• This E39 has been known to the seller for 7 years, and they note that the two owners prior were from the same family

• Full document pack

• Collection of invoices 

• Two keys

• Current MOT expires February 10th 2026

• The MoT certificate shows advisories for a worn tyre, but all four tyres have since been replaced

• V5 present in owner’s name

• New front brake discs and pads fitted in April 2024

• HPI clear

Interior

• Two-tone black and Silverstone leather which presents in fantastic order throughout

• Complete fold-down tool kit

• Some very light wear noted on the door trigger pulls and high-traffic areas

• The graphics on the top of the shifter are bubbling and worn

• The rear centre console is scuffed and stained on the outer edges

• OE stereo system updated with Bluetooth connectivity

• Some minor scratches are visible on the centre console and ‘soft touch’ plastic areas

• Both front seats are in excellent condition, with only some light wear noted on the outer bolster of the driver’s seat

• In the rear, both seats are in equally excellent condition with no notable wear to highlight

• Being very particular, the driver’s door seal has perished on the lower edge

• No reported faults or issues

Exterior

• Classic Le Mans Blue bodywork which presents in good order

• The front end shows the usual smattering of stone chips you’d expect on a vehicle of this age and mileage

• Both headlight lenses are beginning to cloud slightly, most notably on the nearside

• The lower headlight trim appears to be detached on the offside edge

• We note one or two patches of bubbling on the lower sills

• The lower front bumper fog lights lenses are also clouded

• Elsewhere, the rest of the paintwork exhibits commensurate age-related wear such as light scratches, minor scuffs and imperfections

• Recently refurbished wheels in excellent condition, wrapped in new matching Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres

• The seller states that the underside is free from any concerns

• Overall, a very smart example of the E39-era M5 in a desirable colourway, sporting a few small typical signs of wear-and-tear

Mechanical

• 4.9-litre S62 V8 engine, producing 400bhp and 369lb-ft of torque with individual throttle bodies, dual VANOS and drive-by-wire throttle control

• Mechanical limited-slip differential

• Six-speed manual gearbox

• Rear-wheel drive

• 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds

• The only reported modification is fitment of Litchfield rear exhaust silencers, to free up some of the wonderful V8 noise without detracting from the M5’s wonderful long-distance credentials

• Fresh BMW-branded battery

• Under the bonnet, the engine bay is in great shape, having evidently benefited from  fastidious ownership 

• Reported to be in excellent mechanical health - ‘the ultimate driving machine’

Summary

To anyone that loves the much-missed 00s era of car culture - still wonderfully analogue but with just-the-right-amount of technology creeping in to enhance, rather than dull, the driving experience, the E39-era M5 is a box that must be ticked. 

With explosive performance in its era (which is still more than respectable to this day) and a thumping 4.9-litre V8 at its heart, yet retaining an analogous air and all the practicality of a bog-standard 5-Series, the E39 has more than earned its place in the automotive hall of fame, and must be one of the greatest ‘man maths’ justifiable cars of all time - all the poke, go and performance you could ever wish for, without sacrificing practicality or family usability; what’s not to like?

To arrange a viewing, click the 'Book Viewing' button located under the 'Place Bid' button. Viewings can be booked up until the day before the auction ends, after which the option will change to 'Contact Seller' for further enquiries. This seller is located in Radstock, Somerset.