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3 clusters · 11 sources · 25 days · First seen · Last updated

Auction of Volkswagen-powered BMW M5 prototype

Overview

A unique BMW M5 E39 prototype, featuring a rare Volkswagen-developed W10 engine, was auctioned by Broad Arrow Auctions on October 9, 2026, at the Zoute Concours in Knokke-Heist, Belgium. The vehicle sold for €411,250.

Commissioned in 1999 by then-Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Piëch, the project served as a high-performance test platform and a “secret rolling laboratory” for Volkswagen. The 5.0-liter, naturally aspirated W10 engine was created by merging two 2.5-liter VR5 five-cylinder engines, costing approximately 4 million Deutsche Marks at the time. This engineering work provided the foundation for later W12 and Bugatti W16 engines. Only three such W10 engines were ever produced.

The prototype produces between 473 and 480 hp, outperforming the standard S62 V8 found in production M5 models. To maintain secrecy, the car was finished in Carbon Black Metallic and remained largely indistinguishable from a standard M5 from the exterior. However, it featured specialized modifications including a standalone ECU, a Stack racing dashboard, and the deactivation of anti-lock brakes and traction control. The auction also included a second, identical W10 engine.

Entities

BMW · Broad Arrow Auctions · Ferdinand Piëch · Volkswagen · Broad Arrow

Timeline

  1. [BUSINESS] 4 sources
    Ferdinand Piëch's secret BMW M5 W10 prototype sells at auction

    A rare BMW M5 E39 prototype, modified by Ferdinand Piëch to house a secret 5.0-liter W10 engine for Volkswagen, has sold at auction in Belgium for €411,250.

  2. [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Volkswagen-powered BMW M5 prototype to be auctioned

    A rare BMW M5 prototype featuring a custom 5.0-liter Volkswagen W10 engine will go to auction on October 9, with an estimated value of up to 350,000 euros.

  3. [BUSINESS] 5 sources
    BMW M5 prototype with Volkswagen W10 engine heads to auction

    A unique BMW M5 prototype featuring a rare Volkswagen W10 engine will be auctioned in Belgium in October 2026, with estimates between $285,000 and $400,000.

Sources

ar.motor1.com · autoblog.it · autojournal.fr · avtomanija.com · carfans.fr · fakti.bg · motopodprad.pl · motoristorici.it · news.sportauto.fr · telegraf.rs · vintageroadtripphotographie.fr

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history