2001 BMW 540i E39 M Sport

First registered in 2001 in Japan, this rare face-lifted, M-Sport equipped 540i is powered by the venerable M62 naturally-aspirated V8 engine, producing 282bhp - more than enough for anyone in day-to-day usage!

Hand-sourced and imported from Japan by our vendor as part of his business’ collection of rare JDM-sourced vehicles, the car has seen limited use since arriving in the UK and being registered in April 2021.

Despite its limited use, the wheels have all been refurbished by specialist Lepsons, the car has been serviced (invoice below) and the instrument panel has seen attention to fix any ‘dead’ pixels, which is a common sight on BMWs of this era.

As is common for Japanese-sourced cars, the bodywork on this 540i is in excellent condition throughout, with no signs of any big dents, dings or noteworthy impact marks that we could see, with only a few very minor dimples being noted during our inspection. We saw no unusual panel alignment issues or large gaps, and there were no missing pieces of trim.

The good news continues with the paintwork, which is in excellent shape with only minor stone chips (always more noticeable on a black car) to be seen, with no scrapes or major scratches to speak of.

All four wheels are in pristine condition following the aforementioned refurbishment, and sit well against the understated lines of the 5-Series. The same is true of the headlight and rear lenses which are also free of any damage, as is the glass with only a few light marks as expected from a car of this age.

Perhaps most importantly, this 540i remains in entirely original condition to the best of our vendor’s knowledge - something that not too many of these V8-engined ‘sleepers’ can claim.

As with the exterior, the cabin of this upmarket 5-Series is in wonderful condition, having evidently been cherished throughout its time in Japan.

The front seats show some light wear and creasing which is commensurate for the car’s age and mileage, though the rear seats appear virtually untouched by comparison.

Up above, the headlining is wonderfully taut throughout with no major staining or sagging. The wooden trim dotted throughout the car is in excellent shape as far as we could see, with no cracking or damage to the lacquer.

On the whole, the cabin feels remarkably fresh and ‘tight’ for its age, and there are no reported faults with any of the electronics or switchgear.

In the rear, the boot is in excellent order with no heavy wear or staining, and the fold-down toolkit is present and mostly complete. The original first-aid kit is also still with the car, and apparently unopened as far as we can tell.

Interested bidders should note the odometer and speedometer are in kilometres per hour, as per Japanese requirements. The navigation screen is also in Japanese, as is the GPS - not much use unless you’re planning a trip away, but the originality is impressive.

Japanese cars are renowned for being in good condition underneath even at 20 years old, and this particular BMW is certainly no exception. Whilst there is the odd spot of surface ‘bloom’ there are no worrying corrosion-related signs that we can see, nor that any MoT exam has picked up, with the latest certificate - dated 28 January 2021 - noting only a worn anti-roll bar bushing, and a slight oil leak. It's worth noting that the car has been parked in our unit for several days now, and there isn't a drop of oil on the floor anywhere underneath it.

That latter part would explain the stain noted in image 188, but otherwise the underside looks mercifully clean and leak-free, which is good news for all concerned.

Our photographer reported no issues whilst the car was out on the road, and our vendor states that the car drives fantastically with no problems whatsoever, whilst the V8 engine gives an excellent soundtrack to the driving experience without the ‘M-Tax’ imposed on the similarly-powered E39 M5.

Included with the car is an extensive service record, detailing routine work as well as bodywork and chassis condition inspections, though - naturally - this is all in Japanese.

Interestingly, the Japanese first aid documentation is also present with the car, along with the V5 showing 0 former UK keepers, one key, copy of the latest MoT certificate, BMW Japanese handbooks and records, and the invoice from the vendor’s service and maintenance work in April 2021 at the cost of just over £500.

Offering a sonorous V8 soundtrack and impressive performance without the hardcore driving characteristics, aggressive styling or ‘M Tax’ of the E39 M5, this 2001-registered, Japanese-imported 540i presents a strong case for any BMW enthusiast looking for a comfortable daily driver that still provides plenty of on-road kicks when required.

Given the excellent condition of the car, we estimate a value of £7,000 to £10,000. Not only that, but the car is going up with NO RESERVE, so you may well get a bargain out of it - good luck!

Viewing is always encouraged, and as stated this car is located at THE MARKET HQ near Abingdon; we are open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’