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.