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BMW 5-series IV (E39) gallery (1995–2004)

Widely revered as the pinnacle of executive sedan engineering, combining aluminum suspension architecture with timeless design.

All photos 802 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) 31 2023
bmw 5-series pic #68106 1600 x 1200 72 5-series E39
bmw 5-series pic #68105 640 x 409 93 5-series E39
bmw 5-series pic #10147 1600 x 1200 90 E39
bmw 5-series pic #10146 1600 x 1200 102 E39
bmw 5-series pic #10145 1600 x 1200 92 E39 (1997)
bmw 5-series pic #10138 1600 x 1200 125 (1995-2003)
bmw 5-series pic #10136 1600 x 1200 119 (1995-2003)
bmw 5-series pic #2480 1024 x 768 115 5-series E39
bmw 5-series pic #2479 1024 x 768 126 5-series E39
bmw 5-series pic #2476 1024 x 768 113 5-series E39
bmw 5-series pic #2475 1024 x 768 99 5-series E39
bmw 5-series pic #2473 1024 x 768 114 touring
bmw 5-series pic #2472 1024 x 768 89 touring
bmw 5-series pic #2471 1024 x 768 85 5-series E39
bmw 5-series pic #2460 800 x 600 69 5-series E39

Launched in 1995, the E39 redefined ride quality and handling precision through heavy use of lightweight aluminum across its chassis and suspension components. Joji Nagashima's sculpture achieved a timeless elegance that avoided trend-chasing, later introducing BMW's signature 'Angel Eyes' halo lighting rings during its mid-cycle facelift.

From the sweet-revving M54 inline-sixes to the muscular 4.4-liter V8 engines, every powertrain option felt effortlessly balanced. The E39 set an enduring industry benchmark for tactile steering feedback, structural integrity, and executive refinement that competitors spent over a decade attempting to equal.