I met Bob at a car show and he stopped by the house with his E34 M5 last week. I have driven the E60 several times, own an E39, but had never driven the E34 M5. Owners are very proud of "the last of the hand built M5s." They are not as plush inside as the newer M5s, but the 6 cylinder in the E34 M5 has a smooth power delivery that reminds me of a turbine engine. E39 M5 owners will miss the low end torque of the S62, but the 6 cylinder revs easily into upper limits and once it hits 4000 rpm it takes off and accelerates rapidly. I did a 0 to 60 mph blast with a little tire spin in 6.5 seconds - not E39 or E60 numbers but very respectable and still pulling very strong as I passed 80 mph.
The seats are comfortable, but my bad back definitely missed the seat heaters in the later model M5s. The gearbox shifts easily and it corners every bit as well as the E39. At 80 mph the E34 felt rock solid, but there was significanty more wind and engine noise than the E39. Bob picked up his 1992 E34 four years ago with 88,000 miles on it for $8,500 - a bargain and destined to become a classic! Thanks Bob, I loved driving the E34 M5 - and as Bob told me for the umpteenth time, the last of the hand built M5s.
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