BMW didn’t invent high-performance SUVs, that was Porsche with the original Cayenne Turbo. However, BMW did bring it to the mainstream with the original E70-generation X5 M and, since then, every luxury brand has its own version. And if you want to own the original X5 M, the car that really started BMW down the uber-SUV path it’s currently on, there’s currently an incredibly low-mileage one for sale on Bring a Trailer.
I haven’t seen, or even thought about, the E70 X5 M in a long time. Potentially in years. I forgot how good looking it was and still is. This particular one, with only 18,000 miles on it, wearing a stunning Monte Carlo Blue paint, looks so much better than any performance SUV BMW currently makes. It’s simple but muscular, uncluttered, and perfectly proportioned for an SUV. Next to the mishmash of obnoxious lines that is the BMW XM and the E70 X5 M looks like it was designed by Gordon Murray.
Under the hood is a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 pumping out 555 horsepower and 550 lb-ft of torque. That’s an impressive amount of power even today. Back in its day, though, the X5 M was an absolute monster of an SUV, with just obscene levels of power. It was also the first-ever BMW M SUV and the first M car to have all-wheel drive. There’s no XM or M3 xDrive without the E70 X5 M. It walked so those cars could run, though I’m not quite sure I’m particularly happy about that. Still, if you’re looking for a very cool, very fast SUV but can’t stand the freakish designs of modern ones (not only from BMW), then this car could be for you.
Its interior is a lovely two-tone Silverstone grey/black and it’s a classically simple BMW interior. Two lovely round gauges, simple steering wheel buttons, and physical climate controls. It’s the way a BMW interior should be. Personally, I wish it came without iDrive but I’m a bit extreme with my hatred for infotainment systems. It also has 20 inch wheels, adaptive suspension, and a panoramic sunroof.
At the time of writing this, there are still seven days left on the auction and the current bid is at $20,000. The market on these SUVs isn’t super well defined, as they aren’t popular among collectors, so it’s unclear where the price will go from here. However, it could end up being a cool daily drier for any BMW enthusiasts that needs something with family-sized practicality but also M car performance, without the garish looks of modern M SUVs.
[Source: Bring a Trailer]