Is It Weird That I'm Lusting After An Early BMW X5?
CTzens: it’s confession time. During one of my recent trawls through the classifieds, I found myself looking at early first-generation BMW X5s. Brought on partly by seeing them crop up a surprising amount of times in shonky films that spend one week in theatres before appearing on Netflix, I now haveuncomfortable feelings for the SUV.
A lot of it is to do with the way the older X5s look. SUVs seem to be becoming ever more blingtastic, but in comparison, the ‘E53’ X5 has a pleasantly chunky, utilitarian aesthetic to it. It’s another of Chris Bangle’s designs that seems to have aged rather nicely over time, while also losing its reputation for being a car bought solely by pompous douchebags.
If you want, you can have one of these with a 315bhp 4.4-litre V8 for a useful 7.6sec 0-60mph, or if you spend a bit more, a ‘4.8is’ that’ll do the benchmark sprint in just 5.8. But me? I’d be happy with the considerably less powerful, silky smooth 3.0-litre M54 straight-six.
The E39-based SUV first came along in 1999, with an emphasis on providing decent on-road manners as opposed to Land Rover-style all-terrain domination. SUVs that drive like actual cars are available in abundance these days, but back then the X5 was nothing short of revolutionary. So it’s largely responsible for the modern car buyer’s fanatical SUV obsession, but that still doesn’t stop me liking these things.
Despite their age, early X5s aren’t going for peanuts, but they’re not exactly expensive either. Take this 3.0-litre example, which is yours for £2495. Not bad at all for a car with a reasonable 100,000 miles on the clock, but it will inevitably be more painful to your wallet to run than to buy. And that doesn’t put me off either.
So what’s the verdict, readers? Have I gone mad, or do you see the appeal? Let me know in the comments…
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
SMH, It’s not weird it’s just sad.
interior a bit plain, don’t you think specially around the steering wheel area. But beemers of those era had that type of interior.
Oh look at all those supportive car enthusiasts in comments…
Before you go nuts on my comment, know that giving your opinion and just discouraging someone based on your taste are two different things.
You go matt! you have one life and “it’s just a car”, get what ever you want.
I spy a Prius in the first pic
Not at all. My mother had one of these when they first came out. She loved it and so did I. I have owned 4 of the E70 variants because I like the features vs the E53. I will never not have an X5 in my driveway. Stay away from BMW V8s they’re amazing and horrible all rolled into a big maintenance headache.
Yes, Matt, I’m afraid you’ve gone horribly wrong.
Get one! I have a 01 4.4 and so so happy with it. It’s actually a sad time in our house as we are forced to sell it to get something smaller but it’s been nothing but a pleasure to own
We have the 2007 e53 facelifted model as a family vehicle, and I was promised that it would be mine when I get my drivers license. It’s the i6 diesel version, but I couldn’t say it would be slow. It looks nice (with the wide, sexy wheels), feels nice to drive (and drift in the snow) and boy, what fun is it when some dude with a lowered e36 stops next to it on the light and loses miserably.
Forgot to mention, it has the big sunroof and TV’s in the back of the front seats! :D
Completly agree, the E53 is by far the best looking X5. The only problems is that they are not that reliable bit i really love them! The 4.8is had an egine built by alpina!!
Congrats Matt Robinson you just found your inner Eastern European side