Tucked away deep on the outskirts of Dülmen in the Münsterland region of Germany hides a factory once brimming with passion and creativity. A factory where, in 2011, this glorious roadster rolled off the assembly line and headed on its way to its eager new owner.
While everything set to come from Wiesmann in the future looks to be all-electric, the roughly 1,500 existing vehicles dated from 1993 and 2013 are now the only way to experience these wonderfully unique BMW-powered creations. While Wiesmann had got it right with the MF4, the later MF5, and specifically GT variant was the brand’s star of the show. Built from a bonded and riveted aluminium chassis, with a body made of a cocktail of plastic that had been reinforced with fibreglass. Future Wiesmann owners rejoice, you won’t be suffering from rust anxiety.
Initially powered by the mighty BMW V10, and later another of BMW’s finest motors, the 4.4-litre V8 that produces 555 horsepower, it’s fair to say the MF5 is no slouch, but critics were quick to applaud the smaller displacement, allowing the car to feel more agile and dynamic, something that the V10 often lacked.
To gain to absolute most out of this unique creation, we strongly advise to opt for the roadster variant such as this one at Axel Schuette Fine Cars. Although the MF5 was initially only available as a Coupé, a Roadster followed, but production figures remained incredibly low, with a reported 106 units leaving the factory.
This Onyx Black example is finished in arguably the best way to spec such a head-turner. It’s subtle, dark exterior shade keeps the car grounded in its presence, allowing the chromeware of its 1950s Jaguar-inspired front grille to really shine. Elsewhere on the exterior, the design is kept as simple as possible, with stacked lights on the front and rear being the only noticeable accentuations from the curvaceous body. The Roadster variant allows onlookers to see the MF5’s main attraction, though, that gloriously analogue interior space. In the case of this example, it's filled with ‘Natur Braun’ Nappa leather, the very same that was used on Porsches at the time. The off-white dials are tilted for maximum driver focus, while the shortened gear shifter ensures every cycle through the ratios is an exhilarating one.
Seeing a Wiesmann out of the open road is a truly wonderful thing, it’s a car that brings anyone within its wake to a complete standstill, often with jaws ajar and camera apps frantically being opened. It oozes old-school charm other cars could only dream of, bringing together modern performance figures with a design inspired by the greatest hits of classic car design. While Friedhelm and Martin Wiesmann's combustion-engined days are apparently done, we can only applaud them for their ambition and determination to create a truly unforgettable car like this MF5!
