E39 523i?

[Naqib]

Dear Gents,

On Monday (11 Sept 2017), I was driving up north on PLUS Highway and I came across an E39 with W** 2300 plate. The badge says it is a 523i. It has 4 tailpipes with 4 mufflers too. Was it an M5 transplanted into a 523i? I was driving my E60 M5 and it was faster and I felt it was taxing to keep up. When he slowed down I went next to him and gave him a thumbs up. Anybody knows this guy? He took the Ipoh exit.

Hats off to him and the car.

 

[salzki]

4 tail pipes do not necessarily mean that it's an M car, heck even any bimmer can have quad setup (many non M E60 actually has em.) But, it's hard to believe that the E60 M5 couldn't keep up with an E39, which is a 523i as you mentioned, since that car has aprox almost 3x way less hp.
Okay let's see some specs here:

E39 523i - M52 i6 w/ 168hp
E39 M5 - S62 V8 w/ 394hp
E60 M5 - S85 V10 w/ 507hp

As you can see from those numbers, there is no way an E60 M5 won't be able to overtake it (E39 523i). Heck even you can do it with no sweat.

So back to the question, could it be a transplanted E39 M5? Possible. Will the M5 be able to keep up with it? Hell yes not only keep up but you can easily overtake it (since you were driving down the highway.)

 

[Tom328]

Could've been transplanted with a 2JZ twin turbo :rock:

 

[salzki]

Could've been transplanted with a 2JZ twin turbo :rock:

Oh yes how can I forget bout this monster but usually 2jz don't go for quad setup tho

 

[Naqib]

Yes I am certainly aware of the passive tailpipes or dummy tailpipes even. They usually come with mufflers on one side only for both cases. I'm dead sure I saw mufflers on both sides because the exhaust looks like it was not nicely done.

I am also certain that it is not a 523i as it was extremely very fast for a 523i.

It's just the badge that says it's a 523i, it had 4 tailpipes with mufflers on both left and right side. I too use to drive an E39 523i transplanted with an M5 engine with Hamann exhaust system, open pot BMC filters, a good manual gearbox, remapped ECU and it is faster than my E60 M5 stock standard. However the badge is changed to an M5 badge.

I just intend to know the owner if he is on this forum.

4 tail pipes do not necessarily mean that it's an M car, heck even any bimmer can have quad setup (many non M E60 actually has em.) But, it's hard to believe that the E60 M5 couldn't keep up with an E39, which is a 523i as you mentioned, since that car has aprox almost 3x way less hp.
Okay let's see some specs here:

E39 523i - M52 i6 w/ 168hp
E39 M5 - S62 V8 w/ 394hp
E60 M5 - S85 V10 w/ 507hp

As you can see from those numbers, there is no way an E60 M5 won't be able to overtake it (E39 523i). Heck even you can do it with no sweat.

So back to the question, could it be a transplanted E39 M5? Possible. Will the M5 be able to keep up with it? Hell yes not only keep up but you can easily overtake it (since you were driving down the highway.)