This BMW 5-Series Wagon is Powered by a 6.0-Liter LS2 Engine

Trading one V8 for another, and making a great sleeper even better.

byChris Constantine|
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Whether they add any performance or not, V8 swaps are certainly the most controversial engine modifications available. The "no replacement for displacement" crowd will drool and the purists will scoff as soon as the the phrase "LS swap" is mentioned no matter what the recipient vehicle is. If you're a part of the latter group, hopefully this LS2-swapped BMW 5-Series Wagon is enough to change your mind.

The donor car was a 121,000-mile 2002 E39 540i Touring painted Titanium Silver Metallic with a black interior. From factory, it came with roof rails, power moonroof, various ski supplies, and a heated steering wheel. It was the ultimate family getaway car.

This 5-Series is nothing like the station wagon it started as, at least under the hood that is. Thanks to JE Import Performance in Maryland, the 540iT loses its 282-horsepower, 4.4-liter V8 in favor of a gurgling 6.0-liter LS2 V8 paired with a T56 6-speed manual transmission. No power figures are given, but the engine and transmission are sourced from a Pontiac GTO, so the car should make around 400 horsepower.

To handle the power increase, the LS 540iT gets an OS limited-slip differential and an ECS Big Brake Kit to stop it. It sits lower on FK coilovers and features 19-inch BBS Super RS wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires. It's a great recipe for taking the kids to school during the week and carving the canyons on the weekend.

The wagon also receives some subtle aesthetic upgrades, including an M5 front bumper and other M5 accents on the exterior. The interior gets a Raceseng shift knob and E39 M5 Heritage leather seats, as well a gauge cluster from an E53 X5 SUV.

Included with the car is a complete Carfax report and build log, but it's still a modified German car and potential buyers should proceed with caution. Still, for $15,000 it's probably worth it, so buy it before we do. 

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