BMW's Stillborn M5 Cabrio Revealed

Secret E34 prototype revealed at M5's birthday bash

E34 Cabrio still lurks in a Bavarian shed

Hot on the heels of news that BMW has built a one-off 'CSL' version of the current M5, comes the still more intriguing revelation that - way back when - the M division designed and built a stillborn cabriolet version of the E34 generation M5.

As the story goes, the M5 convertible project was so well advanced that BMW had even allocated show space at Geneva for a grand reveal. Then just a week before the big event, Bavarian top brass pulled the plug on the project, fearing a convertible 5 series would pinch sales from the highly successful 3 series rag-top.

At least one E34 M5 version of the car was built, however, as these pictures published by Autocar attest. The car was apparently revealed to a 'select' group of media at recent birthday celebrations for the M5's 25th anniversary.

Not us though, and to think we even sent a card. (They didn't get it? Blame the postal strike...)