Incredible BMW E39 540i Touring M Sport Wagon
Reigning as “king of the wagons,” this 540i Touring is a prime example of the breed.
We love station wagons. They often offer more utility than crossovers with almost none of the downsides. A minor weight penalty is a small price to pay for sport sedan performance with a longer roof.
Manufacturers, however, don’t see it that way. Instead, they’re happy to release an endless string of bland, uninspired crossovers, eagerly lapped up by the sort of dullards who “like to sit higher” and choose colors based on “resale value” or “how much it shows dirt.” The same sort of buyers who care more about a badge than a driving experience, eager to help a brand with a carefully-crafted image dilute itself into oblivion and eventual obscurity.
Best Station Wagon For it’s Time
While Europe gets all kinds of cool wagons, we weren’t so lucky here in the States. Up until the release of the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo, the E39 BMW 540i Touring was the best station wagon ever released in America. Unfortunately, buyers at the time (or any time, really) simply weren’t buying high-performance station wagons.
This 2003 BMw 540i Touring we found on BringATrailer was one of just 261 sold in America for the 2003 model year. With just 63,000 miles on the clock, it’s got to be one of the lowest-mileage examples left. Even better, it’s an M Sport model in black over tan, a classic color combo.
Still in Excellent Condition
Its two previous owners took great pains to keep it in tip-top shape, and it shows. Spending its entire life in Virginia and California has done wonders for the body, and the seats look showroom fresh, even the frequently-worn driver’s seat.
While we wish the 4.4-liter V8 was backed up by a manual transmission, it simply wasn’t offered as an option for the E39 540i Touring. With well-preserved, older BMWs becoming more valuable these days, this rarity seems like a bargain.
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