In today’s world, there are more super sedans out there than ever before. Whether it’s a BMW M5 or a smaller Mercedes-AMG C63 S or perhaps the bonkers Dodge Charger Hellcat, there’s plenty of variety and a great deal of performance to be accessed.
Back in 1984 though, there was one clear king sitting atop this uncrowded segment, and it wore a BMW badge. We’re of course referring to the original M5, the E28, whose 3.5-liter straight-six engine produced 256 HP.
In order to find out if the E28 is still a fun sedan to drive more than three decades after its inception, Jalopnik’s Raphael Orlove traveled to the BMW Performance Center in Spartanburg, South Carolina and put the original M5 through its paces.
Also watch: 1988 BMW M5 E28 Might Be A Decent Buy
For comparison’s sake, he also lined up a 1987 E30 BMW 325is next to the E28 M5 and unleashed them both on a test circuit. While the former was reasonably fun to drive, given its low curb weight, it simply failed to stand up to its bigger brother, which was obviously faster, more comfortable and sounded a heck of a lot better.
“This is a car that encourages you just to drive it hard, and not feel scared to actually get some slide going,” said the reviewer.
Controlling oversteer in the original M5 is also easy, according to Orlove, but that’s in part because of the power-to-weight ratio, which isn’t as impressive as in some of these newer sedans, where the power might feel overwhelming at times and the car’s electronic brain plays a vital role in keeping you on the road.