The BMW E53 is the first generation
BMW X5
The BMW X5 is a mid-size luxury SUV produced by BMW. The X5 made its debut in 1999 as the E53 model. It was BMW's first SUV. At launch, it featured all-wheel drive and was available with either a manual or automatic gearbox. The second generatio ...
mid-size
Mid-size—also known as intermediate—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than compact cars and smaller than full-size cars. "Large family car" is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in t ...
luxury
Luxury may refer to:
*Luxury goods, an economic good or service for which demand increases more than proportionally as income rises
*Luxury tax, tax on products not considered essential, such as expensive cars
**Luxury tax (sports), surcharge put ...
crossover SUV
A crossover, crossover SUV, or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of automobile with an increased ride height that is built on unibody chassis construction shared with passenger cars, as opposed to traditional sport utility vehicles (S ...
. The vehicle was the first SUV ever produced by
BMW. It was produced between 1999 and 2006 and was replaced by the
E70 X5.
The E53 X5 was developed just after the acquisition of
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British brand of predominantly four-wheel drive, off-road capable vehicles, owned by multinational car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), since 2008 a subsidiary of India's Tata Motors. JLR currently builds Land Rovers ...
by BMW. As such, the vehicle shares many components and designs with both the
Range Rover L322 model (specifically the hill descent system and off-road engine management system) and the
BMW E39
The BMW E39 is the fourth generation of the BMW 5 Series range of executive cars, which was manufactured from 1995 to 2004. It was launched in the sedan body style, with the station wagon body style (marketed as "Touring") introduced in 1996. The ...
5 Series (specifically engines and electronic systems). The entire
in-car entertainment
In-car entertainment (ICE), or in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), is a collection of hardware and software in automobiles that provides audio or video entertainment. In car entertainment originated with car audio systems that consisted of radios and ...
system (radio function, navigation system, television and telecommunications systems) are shared with other BMWs and L322. As a result, the earlier X5 models can be upgraded with newer BMW technologies (e.g. Bluetooth phone connectivity).
History
![BMW X5 3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/BMW_X5_3.0d_Sport_-_Flickr_-_The_Car_Spy_%284%29.jpg)
The history of the X5 begins in 1994, when ideas began on a BMW sports utility vehicle after the acquisition of Land Rover. Eduard Walek was named project leader and chief engineer of the E53. Chris Chapman joined BMW Group's Designworks in California later and began working with
Chris Bangle
Christopher Edward Bangle (born October 14, 1956) is an American automobile designer. Bangle is known best for his work as Chief of Design for BMW Group, where he was responsible for the BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce motor cars.
Early life
Bangl ...
in Munich on two full-scale clay models of the E53 for two months. By 1996, design work was approved and the design basis for the X5 (E53) was frozen, 35 months prior to production. Design patents were filed on 10 June 1998 and 9 December 1998, being registered in the U.S. on 18 January 2000.
The takeover of
Rover
Rover may refer to:
People
* Constance Rover (1910–2005), English historian
* Jolanda de Rover (born 1963), Dutch swimmer
* Rover Thomas (c. 1920–1998), Indigenous Australian artist
Places
* Rover, Arkansas, US
* Rover, Missouri, US
* ...
in 1994 was proved to be very beneficial for BMW in the development of the X5. BMW engineers were able to look at and use
Range Rover
Range may refer to:
Geography
* Range (geographic), a chain of hills or mountains; a somewhat linear, complex mountainous or hilly area (cordillera, sierra)
** Mountain range, a group of mountains bordered by lowlands
* Range, a term used to i ...
technology and parts in the development of the X5 - one such example would be hill-descent control. In many respects, the design of the X5 was influenced by its British counterpart; for example, the X5 got the two-piece tailgate straight from the Range Rover. Many parts and electronics were also taken directly from the E39 5 Series parts bin to save costs.
In contrast to the Range Rover models, the X5 was designed as a sporting road car: its off-road capabilities are significantly less than those of
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British brand of predominantly four-wheel drive, off-road capable vehicles, owned by multinational car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), since 2008 a subsidiary of India's Tata Motors. JLR currently builds Land Rovers ...
. BMW reportedly worked hard to ensure it was referred to as an ''
SAV'' (
Sports Activity Vehicle) instead of an ''
SUV
A sport utility vehicle (SUV) is a car classification that combines elements of road-going passenger cars with features from off-road vehicles, such as raised ground clearance and four-wheel drive.
There is no commonly agreed-upon definitio ...
'' (sport utility vehicle).
Even though the X5 was an
all-wheel drive
An all-wheel drive vehicle (AWD vehicle) is one with a powertrain capable of providing power to all its wheels, whether full-time or on-demand.
The most common forms of all-wheel drive are:
;1x1 : All unicycles Reflecting one axle with one w ...
vehicle,
BMW chose from the start to route 62 percent of the engine's
torque
In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force. It is also referred to as the moment of force (also abbreviated to moment). It represents the capability of a force to produce change in the rotational motion of th ...
to the rear wheels, making it feel as close as possible to the company's rear-wheel drive sedans.
Engines
Petrol
Diesel
Interior design
The interior design of the E53 X5 was shared with the
BMW 5 Series (E39)
The BMW E39 is the fourth generation of the BMW 5 Series range of executive cars, which was manufactured from 1995 to 2004. It was launched in the sedan body style, with the station wagon body style (marketed as "Touring") introduced in 1996. The ...
, featuring a similar dashboard layout. The
BMW Business Cassette
head unit
An automotive head unit, sometimes called the infotainment system, is a component providing a unified hardware interface for the system, including screens, buttons and system controls for numerous integrated information and entertainment funct ...
was standard equipment on all E53 X5 models, and included controls for a separately-mounted CD changer unit. The
BMW Business CD
head unit
An automotive head unit, sometimes called the infotainment system, is a component providing a unified hardware interface for the system, including screens, buttons and system controls for numerous integrated information and entertainment funct ...
was optional, and later became standard equipment on newer E53 X5 models. The
BMW Business CD
head unit
An automotive head unit, sometimes called the infotainment system, is a component providing a unified hardware interface for the system, including screens, buttons and system controls for numerous integrated information and entertainment funct ...
also included controls for an accessory CD changer unit. A
GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...
navigation system A navigation system is a computing system that aids in navigation. Navigation systems may be entirely on board the vehicle or vessel that the system is controlling (for example, on the ship's bridge) or located elsewhere, making use of radio or othe ...
radio was also available, and replaced the standard CD player with a cassette player located behind the unit's retractable
LCD
A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat-panel display or other electronically modulated optical device that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals combined with polarizers. Liquid crystals do not emit light directly but in ...
display screen, but included controls for an accessory CD changer unit. A "Hi-Fi" premium sound system was standard equipment on all E53 X5 models, while an upgraded system with a Digital Sound Processing (DSP) was optional, regardless of
head unit
An automotive head unit, sometimes called the infotainment system, is a component providing a unified hardware interface for the system, including screens, buttons and system controls for numerous integrated information and entertainment funct ...
option. The
BMW Assist
BMW Assist (also branded as MINI Assist) is a telematic roadside assistance service offered by BMW. BMW Assist is similar to GM's OnStar or Mercedes-Benz mbrace services as they both use the cellular network and Global Positioning telemetry to ...
telematics
Telematics is an interdisciplinary field encompassing telecommunications, vehicular technologies ( road transport, road safety, etc.), electrical engineering (sensors, instrumentation, wireless communications, etc.), and computer science (multimedi ...
system was an option on the E53 X5, and included an "SOS" button in the overhead console.
Production
![BMW X5 4](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/BMW_X5_4.8is_IAA_2005.jpg)
The X5, along with the
BMW Z4 (E85)
The first generation of the BMW Z4 consists of the BMW E85 (roadster version) and BMW E86 (coupe version) sports cars. The E85/E86 generation was produced from 2002 to 2008. The E85/E86 replaced the Z3 and is the third model in the BMW Z Serie ...
roadster,
BMW X6
The BMW X6 is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV by German automaker BMW. The BMW X6 is the originator of the sports activity coupé (SAC), referencing its sloping rear roof design. It combines the attributes of an SUV (high ground clearance, all- ...
, and
BMW X3
The BMW X3 is a compact luxury crossover SUV manufactured by BMW since 2003, based on the BMW 3 Series platform. Now in its third generation, BMW markets the car as a ''Sports Activity Vehicle'', the company's proprietary descriptor for its X- ...
were manufactured in BMW's
South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
plant in
Greer and at the
BMW de México plant in
Toluca
Toluca , officially Toluca de Lerdo , is the States of Mexico, state capital of the State of Mexico as well as the seat of the Municipality of Toluca. With a population of 910,608 as of the 2020 census, Toluca is the fifth most populous city in M ...
, Mexico, alongside the
BMW 3 series
The BMW 3 Series is a line of compact executive cars manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. It is the successor to the 02 Series and has been produced in seven generations.
The first generation of the 3 Series was only avail ...
,
BMW 5 series
The BMW 5 Series is an executive car manufactured and marketed by BMW since 1972, succeeding the New Class Sedans, and currently in its seventh generation.
The 5 Series was initially available as a sedan, with a wagon/estate body style (market ...
and
BMW 7 series
The BMW 7 Series is a full-size luxury sedan manufactured and marketed by the German automaker BMW since 1977. It is the successor to the BMW E3 "New Six" sedan and is now in its seventh generation.
The 7 Series is BMW's flagship car and is on ...
. Production of the E53 X5 began on 1 September 1999, and ceased on 22 September 2007.
X5 LM
A one-off version known as the X5 LM was equipped with the P75 engine based on the
S70/3 S7 or S-7 may refer to:
Electronics and software
* Acer Aspire S7, a laptop
* Samsung Galaxy S7, a smartphone
* Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, a tablet computer
* , an automation system based on Programmable Logic Controller from Siemens, successor to ...
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a twelve-cylinder piston engine where two banks of six cylinders are arranged in a V configuration around a common crankshaft. V12 engines are more common than V10 engines. However, they are less common than V8 engines.
The fi ...
from the 1999
Le Mans
Le Mans (, ) is a city in northwestern France on the Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Man ...
winning
BMW V12 LMR
The BMW V12 LMR is a Le Mans Prototype built for sports car racing from 1999 to 2000. The car was built through an alliance between BMW Motorsport and Williams F1, and was the successor to the failed BMW V12 LM of 1998. It is famous for earnin ...
. It was used by
Hans-Joachim Stuck
Hans-Joachim Stuck (born 1 January 1951), nicknamed "Strietzel", is a German racing driver who has competed in Formula One and many other categories. He is the son of pre-WW2 racing driver Hans Stuck
Life and career
He was born in Garmisch-Parte ...
to set a lap record at the
Nürburgring
The is a 150,000 person capacity motorsports complex located in the town of Nürburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It features a Formula One, Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a long "North loop" track, built in the 1920s, around t ...
in 2000.
4.6is and 4.8is
A sport model, badged 4.6is was released in 2001. The 4.6is, equipped with the
M62B46 V8 engine, made . The 4.6is was available in 4 colors (black, imola red, estoril blue, and titanium silver). It featured 20 inch wheels that were fitted over larger brakes than the stock X5. It also had additional rear fender flares along with different front and rear bumpers. In 2004, the 4.6is was replaced by a 4.8is model which was not the
M62B48 4.8L V8, which
Alpina
Alpina Burkard Bovensiepen GmbH & Co. KG is an automobile manufacturing company based in Buchloe, in the Ostallgäu district of Bavaria, Germany that develops and sells high-performance versions of BMW cars.
Alpina works closely with BMW and ...
developed for its
Alpina B10 V8S
Alpina Burkard Bovensiepen GmbH & Co. KG is an automobile manufacturing company based in Buchloe, in the Ostallgäu district of Bavaria, Germany that develops and sells high-performance versions of BMW cars.
Alpina works closely with BMW and t ...
and the
Alpina Roadster V8, but rather an entirely new engine called the
N62 engine producing .
2003 facelift
In 2000, development on mid-cycle updates began scheduled for 2003. By late 2001, a radical design update was chosen favoring the new brand design theme. In 2002, following discontent towards the 2001 E65 design, a more conservative appearance was instead chosen and frozen for 2003 production.
In July 2003, the facelifted X5 was presented for the 2004 model year at the IAA 2003 in September, with new headlights, a few new exterior colors, a new four-wheel drive system and upgraded engines. Production started at Spartanburg on 26 September.
The grilles were enlarged, as well as their actual slats being modified in a 'flame surfaced' style. In keeping with the E39 facelift of 2001, the 2004 X5's headlights got corona rings around all four headlamp projectors. The tail-lights also received a facelift similar to the BMW E39, and the exterior glass went from a "dotted" pattern to a cleaner "line" pattern. BMW invented a new four-wheel drive system dubbed xDrive shared both in the X5 and X3 in 2004. Instead of using the previous X5 system which consisted of power being split 62-38 (rear wheels-front wheels) and
DSC DSC may refer to:
Academia
* Doctor of Science (D.Sc.)
* District Selection Committee, an entrance exam in India
* Doctor of Surgical Chiropody, superseded in the 1960s by Doctor of Podiatric Medicine
Educational institutions
* Dalton State Col ...
to brake wheels without losing traction, xDrive could vary power to the front or rear axles in milliseconds, transferring up to 100% of engine power to either axle, thus allowing the vehicle to regain traction quickly.
The X5 got the new 4.4i engine which debuted in the 2002
7 Series; power output rose from . Also from April onwards, a new X5 4.8is was offered (see below), producing . Sales began in September 2003.
Several new extras were added to the 2004 X5 such as:
* Soft-boot close feature (the top part of the trunk pulls itself closed)
*
Trailer Stability Program
Electronic stability control (ESC), also referred to as electronic stability program (ESP) or dynamic stability control (DSC), is a computerized technology that improves a car handling, vehicle's stability by detecting and reducing loss of Tract ...
(making it an ideal tow vehicle)
*
Adaptive Headlights
A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for ...
(available only with
xenon HID headlamp
A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for ...
s; these swivel with the direction of travel of the car. Bi-Xenon headlights for both low and high beam replaced the low beam HID headlights)
Originally announced in the end of 2003 along with the rest of the X5 facelift, the X5 4.8is first started shipping in April 2004. It had a new larger 4.8 L engine (which replaced the 4.6 L engine), and was also later used in the 2005 750i/Li. It also included a slightly modified bodykit (parts of the bottom bumper became painted the body color), 20" wheels, and along with the 4.6is, were the only X5's ever to have a large chrome-tipped exhaust which hid the quad pipes.
X5 Security
The 'Security' edition is an X5 variant with
safety glass
Safety glass is glass with additional safety features that make it less likely to break, or less likely to pose a threat when broken. Common designs include toughened glass (also known as tempered glass), laminated glass, and wire mesh glass (al ...
, heavy-duty material and ballistics-resistant steel, and debuted at the
2003 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Features include:
*
B4/VR4 ballistic protection, capable of withstanding handguns up to a
.44 Magnum, including
.357 Magnum
The .357 Smith & Wesson Magnum, .357 S&W Magnum, .357 Magnum, or 9×33mmR as it is known in unofficial metric designation, is a smokeless powder cartridge with a bullet diameter. It was created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, and Douglas B. ...
or
9mm Luger.
* Polycarbonate coated glass to reduce
spall
Spall are fragments of a material that are broken off a larger solid body. It can be produced by a variety of mechanisms, including as a result of projectile impact, corrosion, weathering, cavitation, or excessive rolling pressure (as in a ball ...
.
* An intercom to speak with people outside the vehicle.
* An assault alarm, which when activated, locks all doors and emits both visual and audio alert signals.
*
Run-flat tires allowing one to continue driving with flat tires at up to for approximately .
Chinese copy controversy
In June 2008, the Regional Court of Munich ruled that the Chinese SUV model, "
Shuang-huan SCEO" is a copy of the
BMW X5
The BMW X5 is a mid-size luxury SUV produced by BMW. The X5 made its debut in 1999 as the E53 model. It was BMW's first SUV. At launch, it featured all-wheel drive and was available with either a manual or automatic gearbox. The second generatio ...
, prohibited the defendant importer of these vehicles in the "trade in Germany" offer and ordered the destruction of all "vehicles with a certain look" at which the defendant's possession or ownership (Az.: 4HK O 16807/07).
References
Notes
Bibliography
General
*
*
*
*
*
*
Workshop manuals
*
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bmw E53
Cars introduced in 1999
E53
X5
Mid-size sport utility vehicles
2000s cars