This new straight-six BMW 540i honours the old E34 540i, and now we want an E34

BMW Canada has revealed a limited-edition G60 5 Series and photographed it parked next to the old one it honours. And as nice as the new one is… we can’t stop staring at the old one.

If you’re not already furiously typing ‘E34 for sale’ into your chosen internet sailboat, you might like to know more about this new [deep breath] BMW 540i xDrive Legacy Edition.

It’s a straight-six 5er, devoid of electrification and filled with turbocharged horsepower. The “legendary” 3.0-litre sixer kicks out 370bhp and 398lb ft of torque, which is what you’d consider extremely healthy.

That’s fed through an eight-speed auto to all four wheels to deliver 0-62mph in just 4.7s. That’s right! Old M3 pace.

Elsewhere there’s a special blue paintjob, M Sport Pro pack, 21s, and tonnes of “premium” equipment thrown into the mix including an 18-speaker Bowers & Wilkins stereo. All for free. Well, not free, but all wrapped up in a single cost.

We don’t know said cost, but it doesn’t matter because a) we don’t live in Canada, and b) it’s limited to just 151 cars. Which is probably still more than the number of healthy E34s available, especially if you’re after a similar example to the 540i in these photographs.

Yes, E34 enthusiasts will be crying into their M-branded handkerchiefs, because the E34 540i was a V8, not a straight-six. So as nice and rare as a brand-new, straight-six BMW saloon is… we can’t stop staring at the old one.