The first 5 series was introduced in 1972. This was the 4 door E12 5 series.
It was available as 520 and 520i four cylinder. In 1973 the 525 six cylinder was introduced. This model had 145 HP.
In 1974 the four cylinder 518 and the six cylinder 530i were introduced. In 1975 the 528 came available. In 1976 the E12 received a small face lift. The 520 and 520i four cylinder were replaced by a 520i six cylinder and the 528 was replaced by a 528i.
In 1981 a new 5 series was available. This was the E28 5 series. It was a 4 door saloon and available as 518, 520i, 525i and 528i. In 1983 BMW introduced their first diesel ever: the 524td. It that same year BMW also introduced the 525e. In 1984 the 518i replaced the 518.
In 1986 the 524d without turbo came available and in 1988 the new E34 5 series was introduced. It was available as 520i, 525i, 530i and 535i. In that same year the 524 turbo diesel also came available.
In 1989 the 518i came available. It had a new M40 four cylinder engine with 113 HP.
In 1990 the 520i and 525i six cylinder received a new 24 valve six cylinder engine and the 530i went out of production.
In 1991 the 525tds replaced the 524td. In 1992 the 525ix 4 wheel drive was introduced and a new touring was available.
In 1993 the 518i received the new M43 four cylinder engine and the 530i and 540i eight cylinder came available.
In 1995 a new 5 series was introduced. This was the E39. It was available as 523i, 528i, 525td and 525tds.
In 1996 a 520i, 535i and 540i were introduced. In that same year the new touring also came available.
In 1998 the new 530d six cylinder diesel was introduced and in 2000 the 525d six cylinder diesel and a 520d four cylinder diesel came available. The 528i was replaced with a 530i which has 231 HP. A small facelift was made in 2000: new engines came available and some minor updates were made but nothing serious.
The E39 was replaced by the E60 in 2003, a complete new model based on the E65 7 series. |
