WHAT IS IT?
For North American long-roof fanatics, it’s an uber sexy, wagon fever-dream–An E34 M5 Touring, a car we never got but one we can now own via the 25-year rule. This car is just insanely desirable in Avus Blue, it’s one of just 891 produced, as a RoW car, it has the full 340 horsepower, the classic “Throwing Star” wheels, and of course, a five-speed manual gearbox. More powerful (and cheaper) than an Audi RS2 Avant and RWD to boot, the site editors are currently pondering a GoFundMe.
WHY THIS CAR HAS BEST ONE ON THE PLANET CHOPS
We love immaculate, higher-mileage cars, if for no other reason, to disprove the perception that all Best One on the Planet Nominees have to have freakishly low miles. This one has never been out of Germany and has had only three loving owners, all of whom appear to have taken an extreme open-checkbook approach to maintenance. The Dutch seller is supplying everything from records to paint-thickness readings for what purports to be all original paint. The engine compartment and underside, as well as black leather sport seats, could pass for 44,000 miles. This M5 Touring looks like anything a BMW fanatic could want, and a car that is sure to steal thunder from the hypercar owners at any Cars and Coffee.
For North American long-roof fanatics, it’s an uber sexy fever-dream…
THE VERDICT
(Delivered by Juror Fadi Hakim)
To put 232k on a car with this pedigree (#15 of 891 produced M5 Tourings) and maintain this level of condition over 3 owners……wow. Cars are not only loved by the care we take in them, but by driving them as they were meant to be driven, and this one has seen a lot of love. The next 60k euros get the keys to the Best One on the Planet!
Best on the Planet May 2, 2025 – Present
Not only is the condition superb, but what a spec sheet!
Some of the cleanest Bimmers I’ve seen happen to also have the highest miles—Michael Alan Ross’ 200k clown shoe comes to mind. This one is tasty.
MAR’s clown shoe is stunning. Perfect car for a photographer, it’s amazing how much gear that car can swallow.
The E34 to me stands as a wonderful transition, appreciably more modern than the outgoing E28 and yet retains the built to a standard not a budget vs. the E39. Now couple that with a long roof configuration, a sonorous high revving in-line six, a slick 5-speed manual. Oh damn, it gets even better: Avus Blau paint, full extended black leather, throwing star wheels and German registration from new? I am not sure it is quite “Best on The Planet” having 232k on the odometer, but I certainly would put in in the “Most Desirable to Drive” category. It’s a YES for me!
But other than the KMs, is there anything glaring to fault on this car?
To put 232k on a car with this pedigree (#15 of 891 produced M5 Tourings) and maintain this level of condition over 3 owners……wow. Cars are not only loved by the care we take in them but by driving them as they were meant to be driven and this one has seen a lot of love. Next 60k euros gets the keys to the Best One on the Planet!
I’ve looked at this car probably 50 times. I still can’t believe that this car has over 140,000 miles. I struggle to find anything significantly wrong with it. Is there another with fewer miles/kilometers on it? Undoubtedly. Is there a better one from 1992 in these colors? I strongly doubt it. I want it. Now.
I don’t know if it’s the best on Earth, but it is the most desirable car on this site right now!
Who doesn’t love a fast Euro wagon?! For car folks, these are like pheromones to us. I had a US (slow) version one of these back in the early 2000s. I absolutely loved and hated it at the same time. It was so good to drive but showed wear and broke constantly. Don’t get me started on that silly dual (or should I say dueling) sunroof Rube Goldberg disaster.
This example looks impressively good after all these years…not an easy task. Plus, the M5 variant was the holy grail. I tried to get one back in the day, but C.A.R.B. (California Air Resource Board) quickly squashed that dream into a Roundel rubble. As good as this car is and what a great color, is it The Best One on the Planet? I have a feeling the guys at EAG and others in Europe may have the holy grail example stashed away.
This is a call to action, more E34 M5 Touring examples. I know they’re out there!
When it comes to M5s in general, the E34 always seems to get short shrift as a middle child between giants. That’s not the case with this longroof example. Everything from the color to the perfect throwing star wheels is completely dialed.
As a many-times-over old BMW owner, the promise of a very thick stack of service records is maybe the best part. No M engine is cheap or easy to keep running, and because the S38 is kind of an oddball, it’s one of the worst of the bunch in this regard, but the sound it makes at wide open throttle(s) is worth it all.