We love a good auction – particularly when it contains such treasures as this decidedly un-ordinary E28 M5 racer.

It was owned by a bloke called Marc Sourd, a Frenchman whose racing career spanned five decades. He won the 2002 French GT Championship, and drove a McLaren F1 GTR at Le Mans the year it took four of the first five positions (though Sourd’s finished, ahem, 13th). This M5 is what he was driving in 1985.

The engine is a 3.5-litre straight six – pretty similar, we’re told, to the engines fitted to M1 Procars. Must sound rather special, then. There’s Kugelfischer mechanical injection, a five-speed Getrag gearbox, and a ZF limited-slip differential for good measure. Total power output is a more than adequate 460bhp.

Though the engine and drivetrain were rebuilt not long ago, the bodywork was left well alone. It’s original – and still bears scrapes and scars as evidence of past glories. And there could be more in its future. The auction listing promises it’s in fully-working order, and is eligible for a number of historic race series.

Or you could just buy it (the estimated sale price is between £85,000 - £110,000), export it to Japan and use it as a shopping car. Are you listening, Mr Moroi? It crosses the block on September 7th in London.

Images: RM Sotheby’s