But the E39 M5 almost never had a V8 at all. BMW North America is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary with several ...

BMW was on a roll in the late 1990s. The E39 M5 blasted into the new millennium with the first V8 engine any M car ever had ...

The V8-powered M5 dates back to the E39 generation that debuted in 1998, but we almost didn't get that car. BMW was considering a much different engine setup that likely wouldn't have been nearly ...

As we already know, the 2012 BMW M5 will feature an uprated version of the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 nestled in the current X5 M and X6 M (pictured below).

The latest-generation M5 is by far the most spectacular when it comes to performance, thanks to the addition of the CS badge, which enhances the 4.4-liter V8's output to a massive 627 horsepower.