Guide price: £35000 - £40000.
- The E60 M5 was undoubtedly a 'Supersaloon'. 5-litre V10, 507bhp, 0-60 in 4.5 secs and 203mph
- Bought new by Jenson Button in 2005 and registered JB05 BAR (He was with BAR F1 at the time)
- During his ownership, he won his first Grand Prix, became World Champion, and was honoured by the Queen
- Purchased at auction in 2011 by our vendor, a well respected BMW enthusiast to join his cossetted collection
- Finished in Alpine White with Graphite leather, only 17,000 miles, and described as 'mint'
- To be sold with 'JB05 BAR', a new 05 Race suit and Jacket (signed by JB), and all its original manuals, paperwork etc 
 There was only one way for BMW to top the brilliant V8 E39 M5 and that was to add two more cylinders. In a move that seems even more impressive now than it did at the time, the E60 M5 was introduced in 2005 with a 4,999cc V10 engine and a seven-speed SMG gearbox - inspired by the BMW-Sauber F1 program. It was the world's first production saloon to feature a V10 petrol engine and when launched, the E60 M5 was also the fastest four-door saloon in the world with its S85B50 40-valve engine delivering 507bhp at 7,750rpm (redlined at 8,250) and 380 lb/ft of torque. Performance was sensational, to say the least with 62mph arriving in 4.5 seconds and, with the speed limiter deactivated, 203mph was theoretically possible, all with the shopping still in the boot! Upgrades from the standard E60 included a wider track, bespoke suspension, unique body panels, that SMG III automated manual transmission, 19-inch alloys, and the quad exhaust pipes that had by then become an 'M-Sport' signature. No wonder the E60 M5 was the most successful M5 in terms of sales. A total of 20,548 cars were built, with 1,778 saloons and estates sold in the UK.The M5 offered here is finished in Alpine White with Graphite Merino leather and was first registered in July 2005 to one Jenson Alexander Lyons Button, he of Formula One fame. Jenson Button MBE was born on 19th January 1980 in Frome, Somerset. He began karting at the age of eight and showed his extraordinary ability from the start, winning all 34 races in the 1991 British Cadet Kart Championship. Further success followed including three British Kart Championships and victory in the European 'Super A' Championship in 1997, the youngest driver ever to achieve this feat. The British Formula Ford Championship crown followed in 1998 along with victory at the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch – a sure indicator of future success. He first drove in Formula One with Williams for the 2000 season. The following year he switched to Benetton, which in 2002 became Renault, and then for the 2003 season, he moved to BAR (British American Racing). In 2004, he finished 3rd in the World Drivers' Championship, with only the two Ferraris ahead of him. BAR was subsequently renamed Honda for the 2006 season, during which Button won his first Grand Prix in Hungary, after 113 races. Following the withdrawal of Honda from the sport in December 2008, he was left without a drive for the 2009 season, until Ross Brawn led a management buyout of the team in February 2009, and Button suddenly found himself in a highly competitive, Mercedes-engined car. He went on to win a record-tying six of the first seven races of the 2009 season, securing the World Drivers' Championship at the Brazilian Grand Prix, having led on points all season; his success also helped Brawn GP to secure the World Constructors' Championship. Jenson registered his new M5 as JB05 BAR (he was driving for BAR at the time) in the name of his company, 'Jenson Racing' and was to keep it until it was purchased by our vendor through Coys at the NEC Motorsport Show in January 2011. Interesting to note that during the period Jenson owned the M5, he won his first Grand Prix, became World Champion, and was honoured by the Queen, a lucky talisman perhaps?The lucky bidder on that day hailed from Aberystwyth and is a self-confessed BMW fanatic owning a number of interesting cars from the Bavarian marque and at one point was Chairman of the BMW Car Club. He tells us that, during his ownership, it has always been stored at 22 degrees in dust free conditions but also had limited summer use each year to maintain the balance between storage and being driven. He has enjoyed it immensely and notes "The reaction to the car has been incredible: everyone is interested in seeing a car that was owned by a Formula One World Champion! When I went to get it taxed, they let me keep the original V5 as a souvenir, and my local BMW dealer even wants to use it for a sales promotion. It’s safe to say that I got a bit more than I bargained for with this car!" However, he now plans to spend more time in Spain, meaning that his collection is being 'thinned out', a difficult process we imagine.So JB05 BAR is now for sale, still with only 17,000 miles indicated and naturally a comprehensive service history. The JB cherished plate will stay with the car as will a new race suit and paddock jacket from 2005, both signed by Jenson, and a quantity of 2005 race memorabilia.We understand that the car is in 'mint' condition and has all the relevant documentation and original manuals. These 500bhp, V10, 'Supersaloons' are fairly scarce and now becoming collectable, and one in this condition, with 17,000 miles, that has been owned by a household name-one of the most charismatic figures in Formula One, is surely an unmissable opportunity.