Get out the beer steins and lederhosen: the Bavarians are celebrating! Yesterday the 5,000,000th BMW 5-Series rolled off the production line at its factory in Dingolfing (yes, Dingolfing) less than an hour's blitz down the autobahn from Munich. The original E12 5-Series was launched in 1972 with a design penned by Marcello Gandini and was inspired by the BMW Garmisch 2002ti, which Bertone unveiled at the 1970 Geneva Auto Show. The top-of-the-line model then was the M535i, powered by a 3.5-liter six producing 218hp. Five generations later, the E60 M5 produces more than twice that from its 5-liter V10, while versions of the 5-Series are available in Touring wagon bodystyle, with diesel engines and with all-wheel-drive.
The five millionth car, pictured above, is an oil-burning 530d sedan in Carbon Black Metallic (though it looks very blue in the picture).


http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/30/b...ionth-5-series

 

While the current model leaves me cold, you simply HAVE to applaud the 5 results. Kudos to BMW, what an accomplishment. Still with the E class, the standards here.

 

I had a 545 it was a beast but gave me trouble after about 6 months in my lease.

 

Yep, cannot deny the success - especially the E39.

 

Carbon black is not like jet black. It has definite blue-ish hue in certain lights - like in that picture - and looks black in other conditions.

 

5 million? Man, I knew there were alot of these things rolling around but had no idea there were THAT many of them.I wonder what they're going to do with that 5million'th car...?

 

I don't think they mean 5 million E60s...