El BMW 5-serie (1981-1988) se ofreció con 18 configuraciones de motor distintas en toda su gama.
| Motor | Potencia | Par motor | Transmisión | Ruedas motrices | Velocidad máxima | 0-100 km/h | Consumo | Disponible en |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L Gasolina | 286 hp | 340 Nm | Manual | Rear Wheel Drive | 245 km/h | 6.5 s | 11.3 l/100km | 1 acabado |
| 3.4L Gasolina | 218 hp | 310 Nm | Automatic | Rear Wheel Drive | 223 km/h | 8.9 s | 10.7 l/100km | 2 acabados |
| 3.4L Gasolina | 218 hp | 310 Nm | Manual | Rear Wheel Drive | 230 km/h | 7.2 s | 10.4 l/100km | 2 acabados |
| 2.8L Gasolina | 184 hp | 240 Nm | Automatic | Rear Wheel Drive | 208 km/h | 10.8 s | 10.3 l/100km | 1 acabado |
| 2.8L Gasolina | 184 hp | 240 Nm | Manual | Rear Wheel Drive | 215 km/h | 8.4 s | 10.2 l/100km | 1 acabado |
| 2.5L Gasolina | 150 hp | 215 Nm | Automatic | Rear Wheel Drive | 195 km/h | 11.9 s | 10.0 l/100km | 1 acabado |
| 2.5L Gasolina | 150 hp | 215 Nm | Manual | Rear Wheel Drive | 201 km/h | 9.8 s | 10.0 l/100km | 1 acabado |
| 2.7L Gasolina | 129 hp | 230 Nm | Automatic | Rear Wheel Drive | 183 km/h | 13.1 s | 8.8 l/100km | 2 acabados |
| 2.7L Gasolina | 129 hp | 230 Nm | Manual | Rear Wheel Drive | 188 km/h | 11.3 s | 8.8 l/100km | 2 acabados |
| 2.0L Gasolina | 129 hp | 164 Nm | Automatic | Rear Wheel Drive | 183 km/h | 14.4 s | 9.8 l/100km | 2 acabados |
| 2.0L Gasolina | 129 hp | 164 Nm | Manual | Rear Wheel Drive | 190 km/h | 12.1 s | 10.0 l/100km | 2 acabados |
| 2.0L Gasolina | 125 hp | 170 Nm | Automatic | Rear Wheel Drive | 184 km/h | 13.8 s | 8.7 l/100km | 1 acabado |
| 2.0L Gasolina | 125 hp | 170 Nm | Manual | Rear Wheel Drive | 188 km/h | 11.4 s | 8.8 l/100km | 1 acabado |
| 2.4L Diésel | 115 hp | 210 Nm | Automatic | Rear Wheel Drive | 175 km/h | 13.6 s | 7.2 l/100km | 1 acabado |
| 2.4L Diésel | 115 hp | 210 Nm | Manual | Rear Wheel Drive | 180 km/h | 12.9 s | 7.1 l/100km | 1 acabado |
| 1.8L Gasolina | 105 hp | 145 Nm | Manual | Rear Wheel Drive | 175 km/h | 12.6 s | 8.0 l/100km | 1 acabado |
| 2.4L Diésel | 86 hp | 152 Nm | Manual | Rear Wheel Drive | 164 km/h | 18.1 s | 7.4 l/100km | 1 acabado |
| 1.8L Gasolina | — | — | Manual | Rear Wheel Drive | — | — | — | 1 acabado |
Cada fila es una configuración mecánica distinta — cilindrada, potencia, transmisión, tracción y tipo de combustible — deduplicada entre acabados que comparten el mismo motor. Las diferencias solo de acabado (interior, llantas, opciones) no crean una fila aparte.