This massively rebuilt BMW X5 of the E53 generation breaks all conventions. What was once a typical representative of the upscale SUV class is now a real off-roader, although it has more Chevrolet than BMW under the hood. The heart of the monster is a 408 cubic inch (6,68 liter) LSX V8 from Texas Speed and Performance. The engine replaces the former 4.4 liter BMW V8 (M62B44TÜ or N62B44) and certainly causes a lot of envy among Camaro ZL1 drivers. But the new engine is only part of the story. The X5 has been completely rebuilt and is now presented with the Axles from a mighty Ford SuperDuty pickup. And the power is transmitted via a Monster Stage 3 GM 6L80E Automatic, specially reinforced for heavy off-road use.
A BMW X5 with an LSX V8?
And one is also installed Thor billet torque converter with a double Transfer Case – a setup that can even compete with a HUMVEE. A set of adjustable ones also ensures the necessary ground clearance Bilstein 14-inch shock absorbers with external reservoirs. They are combined with incredibly huge ones Mickey Thompson 40 inch (approx. 1 m) Baja Boss tires on KMC 17×9 inch beadlock rims, which from some angles look like they were stolen straight from a monster truck. The wheelset doesn't even try to hide in the wheel arches, but rather protrudes far out. The special E53 X5 celebrated its world premiere according to our information last year SEMA Show 2023, and even moved among the best Custom vehicles a lot of attention.
Not just a show, but a real performance!
And on the dusty trails of Moab, Utah, the conversion proves that its powerful looks are also impressive in practice, on paths that most Jeeps would think twice about. By the way, the renovation was carried out by Mike Day, a mechanic from ECS tuning implemented in the suburbs of Akron, Ohio. Be Instagram account gives comprehensive insights into the meticulous conversion process that the X5 had to endure and which transformed it into a real off-road monster. In the world of SUVs and off-roaders, this is it E53 X5 with LSX engine as a crazy example of how you can completely transform a vehicle and equip it for the most extreme conditions.
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