Car comparison

BMW 5 Series Touring (E61) 550i V8vsBMW 5 Series Touring (E34) 540i

Compare specs, acceleration, fuel consumption, dimensions, practicality, and estimated running costs side by side.

New comparison

BMW 5 Series Touring (E61)

550i V8

367 hp4799 ccGasolineRWDAutomaticNaturally aspiratedWagon / estate2005-2007

BMW 5 Series Touring (E34)

540i

286 hp3982 ccGasolineRWDManualNaturally aspiratedWagon / estate1993-1997

Comparison overview

Use the estimates as comparison hints and verify exact figures before making decisions.

BMW 5 Series Touring (E61) 550i V8

Quickest 0-100 km/h
5.7 s
Fastest top speed
260 km/h
162 mph Unrestricted
250 km/h
155 mph Restricted
Most powerful
367 hp
274 kW
Highest torque
490 Nm
361 lb-ft
Best power-to-weight
209 hp/t
156 kW/t
4.8 kg/hp
Largest trunk
500 L
Best overall score
74/100
Best performance score
69/100
Best practicality score
84/100

BMW 5 Series Touring (E34) 540i

Lightest
1,680 kg
3,704 lb
Best economy score
73/100

Specification comparison

Specification comparison
Model	BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8	BMW5 Series Touring (E34)540i
Power	367hp274kW	286hp213kW
Torque	490Nm361lb-ft	400Nm295lb-ft
Curb weight	1,755kg3,869lb	1,680kg3,704lb
Gross weight	2,310kg5,093lb	2,230kg4,916lb
Top speed	Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph Calculated	Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph Calculated
To 99% top speed	57.7s99% target: 257 km/h / 160 mph Calculated	65.2s99% target: 257 km/h / 160 mph Calculated
0-100 km/h	5.7s	6.4s
0-200 km/h	17.8s Calculated	20.0s Calculated
0-60 mph	5.4s Calculated	6.1s Calculated
Fuel consumption	-	12.7L/100 km18.5mpg US22.2mpg UK
Fuel consumption city	16.6L/100 km14.2mpg US17.0mpg UK	-
Fuel consumption highway	8.2L/100 km28.7mpg US34.4mpg UK	-
Quarter mile	13.7s Calculated	14.3s Calculated
Power-to-weight	209hp/t156kW/t95hp/1000 lb Calculated	170hp/t127kW/t77hp/1000 lb Calculated
Torque-to-weight	279Nm/t187lb-ft/ton Calculated	238Nm/t159lb-ft/ton Calculated
Estimated range	-	630km391mi Calculated
Displacement	4,799cc293cu in	3,982cc243cu in
Length	4,843mm191in	4,720mm186in
Width	1,846mm73in	1,751mm69in
Height	1,491mm59in	1,417mm56in
Wheelbase	2,886mm114in	2,761mm109in
Front track	1,558mm61in	1,470mm58in
Rear track	1,582mm62in	1,495mm59in
Trunk volume	500L	460L
Max trunk volume	1,650L	910L
Doors	5	5
Seats	5	5
Fuel tank	70L	80L

Performance charts

Use the estimates as comparison hints and verify exact figures before making decisions.

Dyno simulation

Estimated stock-style power and torque curves by engine speed.

BMW 5 Series Touring (E61) 550i V8BMW 5 Series Touring (E34) 540iPowerTorque

Dyno simulation data table
Vehicle	Peak power RPM	Peak torque RPM	Max engine speed
BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8	6,300 rpm	3,400 rpm	6,550 rpm
BMW5 Series Touring (E34)540i	5,800 rpm	4,500 rpm	6,050 rpm

Acceleration curve

Estimated speed over time for selected vehicles.

Acceleration and drag-race table
Metric	BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8	BMW5 Series Touring (E34)540i
	Acceleration checkpoints
0-60 mph 0-97 km/h	5.4 s	6.1 s
0-100 km/h 0-62 mph	5.7 s	6.4 s
0-200 km/h 0-124 mph	17.8 s	20.0 s
Top speed	Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph Limited	Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph Likely limited
	Drag race simulation
60 ft 18 m	2.5 s	2.6 s
330 ft 101 m	6.2 s	6.5 s
1/8 mile 201 m	9.1 s	9.6 s
1000 ft 305 m	11.6 s	12.2 s
1/4 mile 402 m	13.7 s	14.3 s
Trap speed 1/4 mile 402 m	177 km/h 110 mph	170 km/h 106 mph

Power comparison

Bar comparison chart for Power. Higher is better · hp / kW

Chart data table
Vehicle	Value
BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8	367 hp 274 kW
BMW5 Series Touring (E34)540i	286 hp 213 kW

BMW 5 Series Touring (E61) 550i V8 has 81 hp more than BMW 5 Series Touring (E34) 540i.

The biggest power difference is between BMW 5 Series Touring (E34) 540i and BMW 5 Series Touring (E61) 550i V8: 81 hp (60 kW).

Torque comparison

Bar comparison chart for Torque. Higher is better · Nm / lb-ft

Chart data table
Vehicle	Value
BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8	490 Nm 361 lb-ft
BMW5 Series Touring (E34)540i	400 Nm 295 lb-ft

Curb weight comparison

Bar comparison chart for Curb weight. Lower is better · kg / lb

Chart data table
Vehicle	Value
BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8	1,755 kg 3,869 lb
BMW5 Series Touring (E34)540i	1,680 kg 3,704 lb

Top speed without limiter comparison

Bar comparison chart for Top speed without limiter. Higher is better · km/h / mph

Chart data table
Vehicle	Value
BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8	Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph
BMW5 Series Touring (E34)540i	Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph

0-100 km/h comparison

Bar comparison chart for 0-100 km/h. Lower is better · seconds

Chart data table
Vehicle	Value
BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8	5.7 s
BMW5 Series Touring (E34)540i	6.4 s

The biggest 0-100 km/h difference is between BMW 5 Series Touring (E61) 550i V8 and BMW 5 Series Touring (E34) 540i: 0.7 s.

Power-to-weight comparison

Bar comparison chart for Power-to-weight. Higher is better · hp/t / kW/t

Chart data table
Vehicle	Value
BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8	209 hp/t 156 kW/t 4.8 kg/hp
BMW5 Series Touring (E34)540i	170 hp/t 127 kW/t 5.9 kg/hp

Performance spider chart

Radar chart comparing normalized performance and fuel-consumption scores.

Chart data table
Vehicle	Power	Acceleration	Top speed
BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8	367 hp 274 kW	5.7 s	Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph
BMW5 Series Touring (E34)540i	286 hp 213 kW	6.4 s	Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph

Most attractive quadrant

Scatter chart with performance score on the X axis and practicality score on the Y axis.

Vehicle

Performance score

Practicality score

BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8

Power	367 hp 274 kW
0-100 km/h	5.7 s
Top speed Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph

Doors/seats	5 doors 5 seats
Trunk	500 L 17.7 cu ft
Length	4,843 mm 190.7 in
Height	1,491 mm 58.7 in

BMW5 Series Touring (E34)540i

Power	286 hp 213 kW
0-100 km/h	6.4 s
Top speed Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph

Doors/seats	5 doors 5 seats
Trunk	460 L 16.2 cu ft
Length	4,720 mm 185.8 in
Height	1,417 mm 55.8 in

Detailed score breakdown

Vehicle

BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8

BMW5 Series Touring (E34)540i

Power

367 hp

274 kW

286 hp

213 kW

Torque

490 Nm

361 lb-ft

400 Nm

295 lb-ft

Acceleration

5.7 s

6.4 s

Top speed

Unrestricted

260 km/h162 mph

Restricted

250 km/h155 mph

Unrestricted

260 km/h162 mph

Restricted

250 km/h155 mph

Lightness

1,755 kg

3,869 lb

1,680 kg

3,704 lb

Fuel consumption

12.7 L/100 km

18.5 mpg US

22.2 mpg UK

Practicality

Doors/seats	5 doors 5 seats
Trunk	500 L 17.7 cu ft
Length	4,843 mm 190.7 in
Height	1,491 mm 58.7 in

Doors/seats	5 doors 5 seats
Trunk	460 L 16.2 cu ft
Length	4,720 mm 185.8 in
Height	1,417 mm 55.8 in

Range score

630 km

391 mi

Trunk score

500 L

17.7 cu ft

460 L

16.2 cu ft

Power-to-weight score

209 hp/t

156 kW/t

4.8 kg/hp

170 hp/t

127 kW/t

5.9 kg/hp

Overall

Fixed score

Fuel cost and annual usage

Estimate running costs from combined consumption, your annual distance, and the fuel price in your local currency.

Average annual distanceDistance unitFuel price in your local currencyPrice unit

Enter the fuel price in your local currency, for example €/L, $/gal, £/L or any other local currency.

LC = Local Currency

Fuel cost and annual usage
Vehicle	BMW 5 Series Touring (E34) 540i
Consumption	12.7 L/100 km18.5 mpg US22.2 mpg UK
Cost / 100 km	22.22 LC100 km
Cost / 100 mi	35.77 LC100 mi
Annual fuel used	1,905 L503 US gal419 UK gal
Annual fuel cost	3,334 LC/year