BMW X5 1999 E53

The all-wheel-drive midsize BMW X5 crossover, designated E53, was unveiled at the Detroit motor show in 1999. US sales began that same year, while European buyers had to wait until 2000.

This was BMW’s first vehicle in the segment, and the company even coined its own class for it: SAV (Sport Activity Vehicle). Production for the European market was established at a factory in Bavaria, while X5s for North America were assembled in Spartanburg, USA. The first generation remained in production until 2006 and received a minor facelift in 2003.

The “X” in the name denotes all-wheel drive, while the “5” indicates that the Bavarian manufacturer’s 5-Series provided the basis for the SUV. Initially, the BMW X5 was offered with just two petrol engines: a 3-litre straight-six producing 231 hp and a 4.4-litre V8 (M62) producing 286 hp. In 2001, these were joined by a 3-litre diesel and the most powerful engine in the range, a 4.6-litre petrol unit producing 347 hp.