BMW has long touted itself as the ultimate driving machine, and we’ve been fortunate enough to witness the brand’s supremacy on the race track. But even though some of its models are starting to show their age, that doesn’t mean that they can’t still hold their own around the Green Hell.
YouTuber Misha Charoudin takes us along for a spirited drive in a 1990 BMW M5 to prove that old dogs can have what it takes to take on the Nurburgring. As this is an early production E34, power comes courtesy of a 3.6-liter version of BMW’s S38B36 straight-six, which provides 311 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transmission. Later models of the E34 would stretch that engine to 3.8-liters for a power output of 335 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque paired to a six-speed manual.
The M5 is remarkably stock, with the owner saying that the only upgrades are a slightly lower suspension and brakes from a 7-Series, in addition to M-Parallel wheels.
Read More: Watch A BMW Driver Summon All His Skill And Luck To Save 100 MPH Slide At Nürburgring
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Although the speed isn’t as high as some of the other vehicles on track, the real fun of driving is in the dynamics of the vehicle and the sound of the engine. As the car turns around the corners the tires can be heard fighting for their life, but nonetheless providing enough grip to stay on the pavement.
If you didn’t know that this video was set at a race track, it’s possible that you might think it was just a regular Sunday drive for the owner and the sedate M5. The individual throttle body injection and exhaust make a great sound, but the car remains quiet and comfortable even as the tachometer wings up to almost 7,000 rpm.
Charoudin says that the ride remains smooth and precise, and the M5 was able to keep pace with a Cayman that had crept up behind them.
Quite a few automakers have released newer models that have touted their credentials around the ‘Ring. But as the video proves, having fun while driving doesn’t require a huge budget or an extreme track-focused ride, just a car you love and enough confidence to push it hard.
