History

The BMW E34 series was the third generation of BMW’s 5 Series executive cars. Produced from 1987 to 1996, the E34 was built as either a sedan/saloon or a “Touring” station wagon, both of which received performance-focused “M” variants.

This generation also introduced several firsts for the 5 Series, including all-wheel drive, a V8 engine, stability control (ASC), traction control (ASC+T), a 6-speed manual transmission, and adjustable damping (EDC). A large range of engines was also fitted under the hood of the E34 generation, like a naturally aspirated I4, I6, and V8. A diesel turbocharged I6 was also available later in the model’s lifespan. Similarly, transmission options ranged from a 5-speed or 6-speed manual to a 4-speed or 5-speed automatic.

The station wagon variant of the E34, known as the Touring, debuted at the 1991 Frankfurt Motor Show. Much like the sedan variant, the engine it received was dependent on the model year. Production of the E34 sedan ended in December 1995, while the Touring lasted until June 1996, when both were replaced by the E39 generation. An estimated 1,331,056 E34s were produced, with only 124,714 of those being Touring variants.

This Car

This particular example, Chassis # WBAHJ6318PGD22717, stands out from any other 525i Touring thanks to the artwork bestowed upon it by Pittsburgh artist Zachary Rutter. 

The story behind this art car dates back to 2017, when the previous owner traded his 1972 Alfa Romeo to a friend for this E34. At the time, the wagon wore a beige paint job with a few mismatched panels and an automatic transmission. Shortly after, the car was fitted with a 2.8L I6 from a later E34 along with a 5-speed manual transmission in place of the automatic and an exhaust from a V12 BMW 7 Series. The differential was also changed out to a limited-slip differential and a lightweight flywheel, as the owner at this time had intentions of turning the wagon into a drift car.

The owner then met artist Zachary Rutter, of Pittsburgh, PA. After some time passed and the two got to know each other, it was decided that this BMW Wagon would indeed be the perfect base for an art car, in the spirit of the BMW Art Car Project, which has been ongoing since 1975.  The E34 was painted matte black to act as a blank canvas for Zachary, who painted it during the Penn Avenue Gallery Crawl on August 4th, 2017.

The sides were painted to resemble stained glass, while the hood was adorned with Zachary’s “Sun Heart,” a design that made him a local legend.

The BMW served as a stepping stone in Zachary’s career, eventually leading to a commission to paint one of Pittsburgh’s Port Authority buses. The “#Spreadlovebus” made headlines, and Rutter has since filled his portfolio with work for organizations like The Ronald McDonald House, and other vehicles like an RV, a motorcycle, and a food truck.

Here is an excerpt from our recent discussion with Zachary: 

“The BMW station wagon was a really special project for me. There’s a rich history of famous artists painting BMWs—Andy Warhol, Alexander Calder, and Jeff Koons all created iconic art cars—and it was an immense honor to contribute to that tradition in my own way. This was actually the first live painting event I ever participated in within Pittsburgh, which made it an unforgettable experience,” Zachary said. “It was also my first time painting a vehicle of any kind, which was both exciting and a challenge. The surface was different from what I was used to, but I embraced the process and learned a lot from it. The energy at the event was amazing—people were stopping by, asking questions, and watching the piece come to life in real-time.”

The E34 was eventually moved to storage where we found it a few years later and purchased it. It is currently in running and driving condition for the purposes of moving it etc… but will need proper servicing to be a safe and reliable driver. It is being sold as a project and a worthwhile one at that as the next owner will have a not so blank canvas to complete the ultimate build, or show/drive as-is.