The first generation of the BMW M5 came out on the market in 1985 and its main weapon was highly concealed under a bodywork that looked the same as on a basic 5-Series with nicer wheels.
By the time when the second generation of the BMW 5-Series was launched, the whole company design language was established, with the shark-nose profile for the whole range. The first vehicle which featured that front profile was the 7-Series and it was followed by the 6-series. The development for the second generation started in 1985 and it involved the spare-parts department and the accounting computer. It was the only computer in the company.

The E28 5 Series was launched in 1981 and it was a simple, four-door sedan. It was meant to be a car for the premium customers, with decent performance and better handling than the competition, mainly the Mercedes-Benz. In 1984, the M 535 I was launched, and it was a commercial success with its 218 hp engine. But that was not all. The four-door sedan was improved once again in 1985 with the first, true, M5. It featured the M88/3 engine, which was used on the 3.0 CSL race-car and in the famous BMW M1. The twin-cam, 24 valves unit offered 286 hp and that was only a part of what the M5 could offer. A 5-speed manual transmission was the only option.

From the outside, only a few clues would tell the difference. There were a special bumper, side-sills, and a rear deck-spoiler. On the grille, a small M5 badge was installed as well as in the rear. Special BBS light-alloy wheels were standard for the top-model. At the time of the launch, it was the fastest 4-door sedan in the world.