BMW 5 Series E12 (1972–1981) Price Guide

The E12 5 Series, produced from 1972 to 1981, was the car that launched one of the most celebrated nameplates in automotive history. It replaced the confusingly named 2000, 2500, and 2800 saloons with a single coherent model family that established BMW’s executive car ambitions.

The Car

The E12 used four and six-cylinder engines from 1.8 to 2.8-litres. The 528i with its 2.8-litre M30 straight-six producing 165bhp was the flagship until the first M5 arrived. The M535i of 1980 used the M88 engine from the M1 in detuned form producing 218bhp. This was the performance flagship and the direct ancestor of the M5. The design by Paul Bracq established the long-bonnet, short-deck proportions that would define the 5 Series for decades.

Buying

The 528i is the desirable E12. The M535i is a genuine collector’s car. Rust attacks sills, boot floor, and inner wings. The BMW M30 straight-six is characterful and well-supported by specialists.