BMW 5 Series E28 Sedan Gets Transformed Into Low-Slung Drift Wagon

2 years, 8 months ago - 17 March 2022, motor1
BMW 5 Series E28 Sedan
BMW 5 Series E28 Sedan
It wears a Mercedes rear end.

BMW only ever offered the 5 Series E28 as a sedan. The model wouldn't get a Touring variant until the next generation. With a lack of official E28 wagons on the used market, BMW has left many no other choice but to build their own. Well, at least one person had to.

 Mateusz Dąbski built the E28 Touring in the video above, transplanting a Mercedes W123 rear end onto the BMW. He had to demote the C-pillar to D-pillar duty and recreate a new C-pillar in its place that connected the Mercedes butt to the rest of the BMW. He also had to extend the roof. Dąbski bought the car for $250 or $350 with the plan to turn it into a drift car. However, he had to do more work to achieve that.

He swapped out the car's front suspension with one from a BMW 3 Series E36. Custom fenders provided the space necessary for the car's 15-inch wheels and negative offset. He also gave the wagon a unique paint scheme – burgundy flames on a dark blue exterior. He didn't want anything too flashy, so the final result is a subtle effect that doesn't overpower the car's design.

While BMW didn't offer an E28 wagon, third-party builders did, like Schulz Tuning, though Dąbski noted that they used a VW Passat rear end on their cars. He chose the Mercedes rear because he thought it looked more aggressive, which gives the build a lot more character.

The car was completed and entered its first drift competition a year after Dąbski bought it. He isn't looking to sell it, but he admitted that everything is for sale for the right price. He said he'd build himself another one if he were to sell it. He used the project to teach himself how to build an E28 wagon so he could build it for others. He said he has always loved the E28, but he wanted something different this time. His E28 Touring certainly fits that bill.