July 2022 – Otomobile.com

M5 E39 Special Invite to 50 Years of ///M @ BMW M5 Factory @ Dingolfing

BMW invited (with organization by European M5 E39 Owners Group) 50x M5 E39’s to attend the 50 year celebration of ///Motorsport at BMW M5 E39 factory @ Dingolfing, Germany.

BMW gave a drive-through tour of the M5 factory, including a full photo of everyone on the BMW test track.

BMW M5 E39’s at the gates of BMW M5 E39 factory @ Dingolfing, Germany.

Grainy photos taken by me

Happy to be part of a once in a life-time experience.

M5 E39, again in front of the factory front gates, 20 years after rolling out and traveling across multiple continents. This time with odometer showing 8x+ around the world equator.

“We have arrived at the gates of the M5 factory, driving from Munich BMW HQ on Autobahn at 280kmh. What else there is left to do?”

Had to take the opportunity to snap a photo of my M5 with Chrome Shadow M5 at BMW M5 Factory.

Jake’s surprised by proposal at BMW M5 factory gates

The car with open trunk had the fuel pump fail right at the factory.
“Don’t worry, this is a great place to break down, at the factory with 50x other M5’s to help out”.

Photos by Kaspars Daleckis Photography

M5 E39 Sunday party @ front gates of the Factory. Quite crazy experience.
Usually this is a no-photo, no stopping, no parking, no drones, no nothing, zone.

Route of drive-through M5 factory tour given to 50x BMW M5 E39’s by BMW themselves in honor of 50 years of ///M.
Note our drive on the test track by the Autobahn.
Also ignore the straight line the GPS drew on the map’s top right on the Autobahn, the GPS stops working over 200kmh :-))

M5 E39’s following the Dingolfing BMW factory manager on driving tour through factory.

Just like in early 2000’s, M5 E39’s all the way at Dingolfing.

@Kaspars Daleckis Photography took once in a lifetime photos with help of drone of 50x M5 E39’s lined up on BMW test track at BMW M5 Dingolfing factory.

The BMW M5 factory manager said: “Get this shot right, because this is the only time in a life time! 50x M5’s with factory in the background!”

@Kaspars Daleckis Photograph y raised his drone higher to see if there are any left-over M5 E39 spare parts we can maybe take home as souvenirs, but all we saw new electric BMW parts.

It is a big question, when will be the next time 50x such amazing BMW’s are standing next to each other at the Factory? Will it ever be again?
To answer this question without having M5 E39’s (or E30 M3 or E46 M3) show up again, BMW must build something exceptional with a big soul… but in new cars the soul is missing.

Some fire in background top left. The BMW train from Dingolfing factory to Munich crashed/derailed and because of that the next day (Monday) BMW will have to stop production at Dingolfing factory.
This is a big deal because 17,000+ people work at BMW Dingolfing factory and produce ~1600 cars per day.

All the cars have been on this track before, some 20+ years ago, all with odometers reading 000000.x KM.

After the factory tour, BMW took everyone out for lunch at their BMW cafeteria. Quite generous to call in the chefs and staff on a Sunday to serve all the drivers and guests.

KMW 709 is the Swedish BMW M5 press car from from ~1999.
The press BMW attended the meet and had the Bilsport 13 magazine from 1999 on the dashboard.
The owner said he read the Bilsport 13 and dreamed of the car and it said it was amazing to buy the actual childhood dream car years later.

M5 E39 Concept: Chrome Shadow Body Paint

BMW Tried painting the M5 E39 in the elusive Chrome Shadow paint to see what happens. Here are some shots of the 1 of 1 M5 E39’s. The machine is still owned by the factory.

The M5 E39 in Chrome Shadow is owned by BMW Group and has approximately 35,000km on odometer.

The Chrome Shadow color on M5 E39 reminds between a mix the colors Sterling Grey with a touch of Silverstone.
The intention was probably not this settle color, but a more vibrant “popping” paint, with extreme contrast dark fall-off on surfaces pointing away, just like the Style 65 wheels have it. The most likely reason the car looks more “silver” than Chrome Shadow is that the clear coat is too thick.

The thicker the clear coat, the less the Chrome Shadow shows and this is an issue with the Chrome Shadow process, because to achieve a Chrome Shadow feel a thin clear coat is necessary, where a thin clear coat does not protect the fragile Chrome Shadow ‘silver’ dusting under the clear. Any aggressive detergent/shampoo (especially wheel cleaner) will eat through the thin clear coat.

Scroll to the bottom to see the M3 E46 Concept in Chrome Shadow. That car’s paint is a lot closer to (whatever) Chrome Shadow (people think) paint should look like.

Note the miss-matched paint on passenger front door.

This looks like a test to see what happens if a Chrome Shadow painted door has to be resprayed for a customer.
The result appears that BMW themselves are not able to get Chrome Shadow right. Given the complicated and extremely unreliable (different results every time) process of painting in Chrome Shadow, BMW obviously scrapped the idea that they should offer this color to customers. BMW would not get a consistent finish from car to car, but would also deal with the impossibility of re-spray and paint repairs.

Photos by Kaspars Daleckis Photography:

This just screams “BMW, try harder”.
A pro painter who paints with his reputation in mind, would never allow a car to leave the paint shop with this type of over-spray.

Want a female magnet? Buy a Porsche.
Want a male magnet? Buy a M5 E39.
Somehow this female appears to be attracted to the male magnets.

BMW M5 E39 in Chrome Shadow by E39 Owners Group members at Munich “Push it to the Limit” meet

Here you can see images of the M5 E39 in Chrome Shadow in Munich, in different light and shadows, to get a feel how it looks outside sunlight.

Photo by member of European M5 E39 Owners Group

The painted door is obvious. This looks like a test to see what happens if a Chrome Shadow painted door has to be resprayed for a customer.
The result appears that BMW themselves are not able to get Chrome Shadow right. Chrome Shadow is just a color of 50 shades of gray, with little to no consensus of what it really means to have Chrome Shadow.

Custom interior on the M5 E39 in Chrome Shadow.
Photo by member of European M5 E39 Owners Group

Below is a M3 Concept that is painted in Chrome Shadow. The wheels match the body (it appears) much better in terms of color. The vehicle is located and on display at the BMW HQ/Welt/Museum.

M5 E39 Special Invite to 50 Years of ///M @ BMW HQ Munich through lens of Kaspars Daleckis Photography

Kaspars Daleckis Photography traveled across Europe to attend and photograph the special event.

ONNO is Thordur’s M5 from Iceland, which he has owned since ~2005 and has dual superchargers hidden deep down in the engine bay.
The most common question he had to answer was “Where are the chargers?”.

Blue M5’s were the most common at the meet.

David Aguilera with his M5 E39, arrived after very long drive from Spain.

Chatting up with Sreten from M5 E39 Restorations.

First time in long time so many beautiful cars at BMW museum.

People evaluating the M5 E39 painted in Chrome Shadow.

Chrome Shadow Style 65 wheels on the M5 E39 that is painted in Chrome Shadow.

Happy owner with many happy miles/km on odometer.

M5 E39 Special Invite to 50 Years of ///M @ BMW HQ Munich

BMW invited (with organization by European M5 E39 Owners Group) 50x M5 E39’s to attend the 50 year celebration of ///Motorsport at BMW HQ/Museum in Munich.

50 cars arrived from all over Europe, collectively driving far north of 100,000km.
Some driving over 5000km and shipping by boat from far away lands.

This was just one day of a multi day get-together and tour.
The 50x M5 E39’s were also invited for tour at the M5 factory in Dingolfing, but that is material for another post.

Looks like an idyllic summer afternoon at BMW HQ Munich in July 2001

BMW said it themselves on their Instagram story: “Usually all the best stuff is on the inside of Museum, but today it all is outside.”

Lots of high noon crowds visiting the BMW Museum.

Some guys got money shots of their M5’s in front of Museum and BMW Headquarters towers.

Full list of invited M5 E39’s at BMW HQ/Museum Munich

US Spec M5 shipped from USA and re-registered in Germany, hence the narrow license plate.

M5 E39 with Unique color (forgot name) from UK

No BMW logo, no license plate. It this even a real BMW M5?

M5 E39 from Netherlands.
The passenger mirror was ripped off on the Autobahn when some fool pulled out into the left lane without using blinker.

KMW 709 is the original BMW M5 E39 press car in Sweden in ~1999. Here is the Bilsport 13 magazine with this same car on the cover

Chrome Shadow painted M5 E39 experimental/concept car.

Other photos of the day:

E46 M3 Touring Concept painted in Chrome Shadow

Looks just like circa 2001, even the architecture.

Kaspars Daleckis celebrating his photography wins.

Cars & Coffee BMW Classic Munich

Nick drove in his M5 E39 into Cars n Coffee @ BMW Classic, Munich.

M5 E39 Autobahn Road Trip to BMW M5 Factory for 50 Years of ///M

Piss pause somewhere in middle of nowhere.

Approaching Germany after many hours of driving.

Typical McDonalds and Truck stop on the way to Germany.

Getting tires balanced at ARC Auto & Reifen-Center GmbH

Got to Autobahn and realized rear tires are not properly balanced. Felt there is vibration above 200kmh. I got the Michelin PS4’s mounted some time ago, but I did not do balance check before leaving. At 90-130kmh on regular roads the vibration could not be felt.
Looks like the big-brand chain service station balanced the car to “He won’t feel it at 100kmh” style… both tires out of balance.

Worst surprise was that one wheel is slightly bent oval and not perfectly round, of course the shop where I got the wheel/tire mounted, did not even mention anything about this. This is why it is dangerous to take your car to “Pep boys” and “Autozone” or “ATA” style service shops.

In Germany, ATA and 5 other shops we visited on Friday morning in mid July said “Next time for tire balance is in August”.
This was a WTF moment… WTF is going on in Germany? .. then finally 7th stop we visited, ARC Auto & Reifen-Center GmbH came through “10 minutes” and it was super fast and super cheap. Highly thankful because they saved my day/trip!

Car wash and adjustment of headlights beam position.

Due to tire issues we failed to meet BMW M5 E39 group in Stuttgart @ Porsche Museum. Because of the messed up day we decided instead to go to Audi museum in Ingolstadt, on the way to BMW Museum.

Arriving at Audi factory/museum in Ingolstadt, in a BMW.

1939 Auto Union Typ C/D V16 520hp is likely the most insane car Audi (Auto Union) has ever produced.
To have 520hp in 1939 when average decent car had ~50hp was absolutely insane.
They did not manufacture tires wide enough to hook up all that power, so it got double rear wheels.

This one-off example 1939 Auto Union Typ C/D V16 520hp was saved by Mr. Kulbergs (founder of Riga Motor Museum) of Latvia from getting destroyed by Soviet Union. Personal possession/ownership (You will own nothing and will be happy) was outlawed during Communism and there are long stories (that are best re-told by Mr. Kulbergs son Andris Kulbergs) how parts of the car were hidden in walls of buildings so the Russians would not find it.

Audi did not have an example of the car themselves. When they found out the only example is alive and in the possession of Riga Motor Museum in Latvia, Audi purchased it for an undisclosed sum and as part of the deal, produced a (near) perfect replica of the original, that is now standing at Riga Motor Museum. This “saving the Auto Union Typ C/D” part of story is omitted from the spec sheet at Audi Museum.