What Makes The 1984 Hartge BMW H5S Special And How Much One Goes For Today

The BMW 5 Series launched in the early '70s and became available in the US in 1975. Not only did this German sedan perfectly contrast America's oversized vehicles of the time, it was nimble and fun to drive. As great as the 5 Series was, this BMW model took a partnership with an esteemed car tuning company to see its true potential. Hartge Motorsport, started by Herbert Hartge, set out to accomplish the intimidating task of taking a brand known for setting industry benchmarks and improving it.

Of the many BMWs the German tuning house worked on, one of the most notable is the 1984 Hartge H5S. Hartge added several performance enhancements but didn't go overboard, creating a unique experience behind the wheel without overshadowing the original 5 Series. The 1984 Hartge H5S is also exceedingly rare, with perhaps only a total of five models in the US, and these cars had to undergo the rigors of the Clean Air Act to be legal in the States. In addition to emission standards, there are many reasons why some of the coolest cars aren't sold in America.

In 1984, Hartge Motorsports took a standard 535i and went to work on it in their Beckingen, Germany headquarters. The tuner only worked with naturally aspirated engines, so instead of adding turbochargers, Hartge opted for an engine swap. A larger, bored 3.4-liter engine took the place of the less powerful 2.8L stock version. Sticking with classic hot-rod methods of boosting output, the H5S altered other aspects under the hood, like adding tubular exhaust headers and a performance camshaft. Changes were also made to the exhaust system, helping the H5S breathe without restriction.

The German version of the H5S could generate 237 horsepower and put it in the same league as the E28 M5. Fortunately, with a stiffer suspension and ABS brakes, the Hartge H5S was incredibly maneuverable, even at low speeds. However, if you ever get the opportunity of a lifetime and actually get behind the wheel of this car, you would be wise to consider BMW cone college driving classes beforehand.

Considering there are only a handful of these mid-80s Hartge H5Ss in the US, your chances of owning one are low. There was one up for auction back in 2018 that received a total of 16 bids, with the highest being $48,500, per bringatrailer.com. However, it didn't sell because the top bid failed to meet the reserve. Currently, there are no active listings for this car, so you may be waiting a while for the opportunity to own one.

Even if you do manage to secure one of the rare Hartge H5Ss, the tuning company went out of business in 2019. So, if you need any official replacement parts, they will be challenging to source and costly to purchase. According to one owner in the US who had restored a 1985 Hartge H5S in 2019, "[The car] is a representation of an era of automotive tuning that has long gone." The Hartge H5S isn't the only rare example of the German automaker in America; there are several other iconic BMW cars that didn't make it to the United States.