Uber Cool: BMW M5 E34 Convertible Revealed After 20 Years

Uber Cool: BMW M5 E34 Convertible Revealed After 20 Years

Friday, October 30th, 2009

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Back in the late 1980’s, when the BMW M division’s portfolio was far more limited than today’s lineup which comprises of models of all sorts and sizes including SUVs, the Bavarians had an idea; what about creating an E34 M5 Convertible? Actually, it was more of an idea as BMW went ahead and developed a complete prototype that was supposed to be introduced at the 1989 Geneva Motor Show.

However, sadly the firm’s high-ranking executives pulled the plug on the project the last moment fearing that the essential non ‘M’ 5-Series drop top models would be positioned too close to the thriving 3-Series Convertible.

BMW had kept the E34 M5 Cabrio prototype model under covers -though pictures had circulated on the net- for 20 years until now as the company showed the car to the press at a special event for the M5’s 25th anniversary.

The E34 M5 was produced between 1988 and 1995. Early models featured a 3.6-liter inline-six with 315 HP at 6,900 rpm and 266 lb-ft of torque at 4,750 rpm that was replaced in 1992 with a 3.8-liter engine cranking out 340 HP at 6,900 rpm and 295 lb-ft of torque at 4,750 rpm.