Rated M
04-10-2008, 03:56 PM
There were, I think, only 45 E34 3.6 M5's ever imported into Australia by BMW, (I am lucky enough to own one) and I'm not sure if the 45 total included the 3.8 litre Stewart Garmey owned.
There was an unsatisfied demand which caused a Limited Edition E34 to be created to try to fill the requirement. It came with a 6 speed manual bolted onto the 4.0 litre V8 and all the M package. Needless to say it was some car.
http://www.fantasycars.com/sedans/HTML/bmw_540i_sport_e34.html
http://www.kindel.com/bmw/roundel.htm
http://www.kindel.com/bmw/m540_info.htm
In the text below here I have to admit to some plagiarism from other forums. Oh well, facts are facts!
These cars were very special. Only 302 similar were made by BMW worldwide, with Australia receiving only 70 of them.
Each of the Australian vehicles originally had a numbered plaque (under the handbrake lever). The specs are similar to the 200 US M-Sport 540i's and the 32 Canadian M540i's produced in 1995.
BMW stopped selling E34 M5’s in Australia in late 1992 – primarily due to the introduction of the 3.8 litre motor. The E34 M5 was again revised in late 1994 with the inclusion of a number of options as standard, bigger brakes, and other changes.
In early 1995, the LE’s were introduced into Australia at about the same time as the US M-Sports and the Canadian
M540i’s. Our LE was also the only way you could get a 540i with a manual 6 speed gearbox.
The LE development was a recognising the need to keep up the image of the the ageing E34 M5, given the impending release of the E39 in 1996. So, BMW decided to dip into the M5parts bin and produce a new flag waver for the E34 5 series for each of these 3 markets wherethe M5 was no longer available. The 540iLE, the M-Sport and the M540I were the result. The E34 M5 was a special handbuilt, therefore slower produced vehicle. Demand had exceeded supply. I speculate here that this is why BMW decided to build future M's on their production lines with the other BMW's.
The result was in all three markets, the cars are prized by those who know what they are. This car came with all the benefits of an M5, coupled with the torque and smooth easy power of the V8. Parts for the 540i are much easier to access and there is wider knowledge of the engine than the twin OHC M5 6cyl.
Arguably, except for the motor, but with the brakes and the M5 body kit, the LE was pretty much a 1995 M5.
Check these inclusions:
Switchable EDCIII M5 suspension (this involves an adaptive damping suspension that, within fractions of a second, adjusts to the cars speed, the surface of the road, the load carried and the type of driving being experienced
full M5 sports interior, including leather sports seats, or optional M-Clth / Alacantara
M5 6 speed gearbox
M5 servotronic steering
Illuminated 6 speed M5 gearknob
M5 exclusive bird’s eye maple dark grey woodwork.
In 1995, these cars were very expensive,retailed for around $154,000.00 plus on road costs! Nothing offered in Australia came close to the experience offered by the 540iLE. The only similar concept would have been the HSV GTS 215i – Comparison in the August 1995 Wheels magazine, decided they were very different cars and held appeal to very different sorts of buyers.
More details on the LE generally can be found at :
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/BMW540iLE/
Info on the US M-Sport and the Canadian M540iLE can be found at:
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group...?yguid=21653679
There was an unsatisfied demand which caused a Limited Edition E34 to be created to try to fill the requirement. It came with a 6 speed manual bolted onto the 4.0 litre V8 and all the M package. Needless to say it was some car.
http://www.fantasycars.com/sedans/HTML/bmw_540i_sport_e34.html
http://www.kindel.com/bmw/roundel.htm
http://www.kindel.com/bmw/m540_info.htm
In the text below here I have to admit to some plagiarism from other forums. Oh well, facts are facts!
These cars were very special. Only 302 similar were made by BMW worldwide, with Australia receiving only 70 of them.
Each of the Australian vehicles originally had a numbered plaque (under the handbrake lever). The specs are similar to the 200 US M-Sport 540i's and the 32 Canadian M540i's produced in 1995.
BMW stopped selling E34 M5’s in Australia in late 1992 – primarily due to the introduction of the 3.8 litre motor. The E34 M5 was again revised in late 1994 with the inclusion of a number of options as standard, bigger brakes, and other changes.
In early 1995, the LE’s were introduced into Australia at about the same time as the US M-Sports and the Canadian
M540i’s. Our LE was also the only way you could get a 540i with a manual 6 speed gearbox.
The LE development was a recognising the need to keep up the image of the the ageing E34 M5, given the impending release of the E39 in 1996. So, BMW decided to dip into the M5parts bin and produce a new flag waver for the E34 5 series for each of these 3 markets wherethe M5 was no longer available. The 540iLE, the M-Sport and the M540I were the result. The E34 M5 was a special handbuilt, therefore slower produced vehicle. Demand had exceeded supply. I speculate here that this is why BMW decided to build future M's on their production lines with the other BMW's.
The result was in all three markets, the cars are prized by those who know what they are. This car came with all the benefits of an M5, coupled with the torque and smooth easy power of the V8. Parts for the 540i are much easier to access and there is wider knowledge of the engine than the twin OHC M5 6cyl.
Arguably, except for the motor, but with the brakes and the M5 body kit, the LE was pretty much a 1995 M5.
Check these inclusions:
Switchable EDCIII M5 suspension (this involves an adaptive damping suspension that, within fractions of a second, adjusts to the cars speed, the surface of the road, the load carried and the type of driving being experienced
full M5 sports interior, including leather sports seats, or optional M-Clth / Alacantara
M5 6 speed gearbox
M5 servotronic steering
Illuminated 6 speed M5 gearknob
M5 exclusive bird’s eye maple dark grey woodwork.
In 1995, these cars were very expensive,retailed for around $154,000.00 plus on road costs! Nothing offered in Australia came close to the experience offered by the 540iLE. The only similar concept would have been the HSV GTS 215i – Comparison in the August 1995 Wheels magazine, decided they were very different cars and held appeal to very different sorts of buyers.
More details on the LE generally can be found at :
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/BMW540iLE/
Info on the US M-Sport and the Canadian M540iLE can be found at:
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group...?yguid=21653679