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<\/p>\n\n The original X5 never got an M version, so Kith and BMW engineered one with a 500-hp V10 and a stick shift <\/p>\n
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Kith founder Ronnie Fieg collaborates with BMW<\/a> for a special project.<\/p>\n He built a manual, V10-swapped AWD 2000 BMW X5 E53 restomod.<\/p>\n It will be joined by a brand-new 2027 BMW X5 Kith one-off special.<\/p>\n The original X5, chassis code E53, holds its place in history as BMW\u2019s first SUV, or Sports Activity Vehicle, to borrow the marketing term Munich preferred. What it never got was a proper M version. There were exceptions of a sort, including the wild V12-powered Le Mans prototype<\/a> and the V8-powered performance models, the pre-facelift 4.6is and the 4.8is that followed. None of them was the real M deal, though. <\/p>\n Kith founder and CEO Ronnie Fieg has now partnered with BMW to right that wrong, and the fix is a custom-built restomod running a V10 paired with a manual.<\/p>\n The X5 4.8is was the closest we got to a performance E53. (Photos BMW)<\/p>\n While Kith and BMW are still sitting on the photos, they did confirm that the one-off began life as a 2000 X5 stripped to bare metal for a full restoration, a job that stretched past the one-year mark from start to finish. The centerpiece is the engine swap<\/a>, which drops in a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter S85 V10 making 500 hp (373 kW \/ 507 PS) and 383 lb-ft (519 Nm) of torque, sent through a six-speed manual gearbox.<\/p>\n More: Classic BMW M1 Gets A Touch Of Kith And Techno Violet Magic<\/a><\/p>\n The same drivetrain lived in the E60 M5 and E63 M6 production models, but this is the first time it has been fitted to a SUV. The X5 keeps the stock fixed-ratio all-wheel-drive system, an early relative of the xDrive setup that BMW rolled out on this same generation. Backing up the mechanical work are \u201cBMW M<\/a> performance elements,\u201d which likely means bigger brakes and reworked suspension.<\/p>\n The X5 4.8is pictured above was offered from late 2003 through 2006. (Photos BMW)<\/p>\n The new setup means the one-off will be considerably more powerful than the performance flagships of the production E53 lineup. Those were the V8-powered X5 4.6is (2001-2003) and the facelifted X5 4.8is (2004-2006), producing 342 hp (255 kW \/ 347 PS) and 355 hp (265 kW \/ 360 PS) respectively.<\/p>\n More: BMW And Kith\u2019s Latest Collab Is An M1-Inspired XM<\/a><\/p>\n According to Kith, the aim of the design<\/a> was to \u201cpay homage to its original form, while optimizing it for ultimate driving performance\u201d. The exterior wears factory Titanium Silver Metallic, the launch color of the E53.<\/p>\n The wildest E53 ever made was the one-off X5 Le Mans with a V12 and a stick shift. (Photos BMW)<\/p>\n As Autoblog <\/a>points out, photos from the build process suggest the one-off will get a bodykit with wide fenders, side skirts, and deeper bumpers, riding on five-spoke alloy wheels with blue brake calipers. Inside, there\u2019s a custom instrument cluster with a recalibrated tachometer and Kith branding<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Brand-New X5 Joining It<\/p>\n
Alongside the V10-swapped E53, Kith and BMW will also reveal a one-off 2027 BMW X5 (G65)<\/a> finished in Frozen Titanium Silver. Whether that special color is the only departure from the standard model isn\u2019t clear yet.<\/p>\n More: 2027 BMW X5 Drops Door Handles For Wings, Adds A 435-Mile Electric iX5<\/a><\/p>\n
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