BMW 5-series II (E28) gallery (1981–1988)

An evolutionary masterpiece that refined BMW's middleweight formula and birthed the original high-performance executive saloon.

All photos 817 I (E12) 48 1972–1981 II (E28) 23 1981–1988 III (E34) 13 1987–1996 IV (E39) 17 1995–2004 V (E60/E61) 53 2003–2010 VI (F10/F11/F07) 397 2010–2017 VII (G30/G31) 199 2016–2023 VIII (G60/G61) 46 2023

BMW 5-series II (E28), sedan, beige, side view — photo 63674

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sedan A classic four-door sedan in a beige metallic finish with tinted rear windows and five-spoke alloy wheels, parked sideways on a dirt path against a backdrop of trees.

BMW 5-series II (E28), sedan, grey, front three-quarter view — photo 36438

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sedan A group of classic sedans in various colors parked on an open paved lot during an outdoor car meet with people and flags in the background.

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1024 x 768 78 5-series E28

1024 x 768 69 (1981-1987)

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Building on its predecessor's success, the E28 arrived in 1981 with a sleeker profile, improved aerodynamics, and a significantly modernized interior featuring a center console angled directly toward the driver. It introduced electronic engine management, ABS braking options, and early onboard diagnostics, asserting BMW's technological ambition in the executive class.

The E28 cemented its place in automotive history when BMW Motorsport installed the M1-derived inline-six engine to create the first-ever M5. That unassuming sedan could outrun exotic supercars of its day while carrying a family in total comfort, establishing the E28 as the definitive sleeper sedan of the 1980s.