For over 30 years BMW's M5 has claimed the title of the definitive super saloon. Originally derived from the M535i, it has evolved through five incarnations into a 600hp monster that currently sits at the very top of the performance saloon tree.
BMW's 1979 E12 M535i - the forerunner to the first M5 - packed a 3.5-litre straight-six engine with 218hp on tap. Based on the standard six-cylinder 535i saloon, a close-ratio gearbox and upgraded brakes were added, along with Recaro sports seats, a limited-slip diff and other BMW Motorsport goodies. And this formed the basic blueprint for subsequent M5s, with the first official E28 M5 arriving in 1985.
Engine configurations have of course evolved over the last three decades, with the E28 and E34 M5s using straight sixes, the E39 a naturally aspirated V8, the E60/61 a mental V10 and the outgoing F10 a twin-turbo V8 - a format that's likely to be carried over into the imminent sixth-generation M5 too.
But what which M5 is currently the best generation to buy? Which is the best to drive? Which incarnation delivers the best all-round value for money? And, dare the question even be posed, which M5 is destined to become a classic?