A collaborative effort between BMW and fashion brand Kith will see the first-generation X5 transformed by the addition of V10 firepower from an E60 M5. Kith founder and CEO – and long-time BMW fan – Ronnie Fieg took to Instagram to announce the project, which is set to be unveiled at Pebble Beach as part of Monterey Car Week.

In its first generation, BMW did not offer the X5 as an M version, although it did come somewhat close with the 4.8iS, which ran a naturally aspirated 4.8-litre V8 and essentially bridged the performance and handling gap between the regular X5 and BMW’s dedicated M cars.

Open front view of a BMW engine bay with M logo on the intake cover, showing hoses and air boxes surrounding the engine core.
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By the second-generation X5, BMW plugged the product gap with a turbocharged V8 X5 M, which launched in 2010. Arriving just as the V10-powered M5 was winding up production, the X5 M never benefited from the M5’s V10 power… until now.

Fieg’s 2000 E53 X5 is set to combine the S85 V10 engine from an M5, mated to a six-speed manual transmission and designed to work with the X5’s factory-fitted all-wheel-drive system. In a post on Instagram, Fieg says the mechanical work and complete rotisserie rebuild took over a year to complete.

The project stands as a marketing bookend for BMW and Kith, with a version of the 2027 BMW X5 by Kith set to be unveiled at the same time. Previous collaborations have also seen the brands team up for limited-edition versions of the M4 and XM.

Silver BMW SUV driving on a dusty off-road road with brown hills and sparse trees in the background.
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Both the old and new X5 will be shown in matching Titanium Silver, with the V10-powered version keeping its original gloss finish. The 2027 X5 will feature Frozen Titanium Silver paint, a matte version not normally offered.

Despite the custom work in transplanting the V10 engine into the E53 body shell, outputs will remain at the E60 M5’s original level: 373kW at 7750rpm and 520Nm at 6100rpm, with the ability to rev to 8250rpm.

Fieg – who said working with the marque makes him “feel the responsibility to bridge the past and the present” – will also have his own BMW 3.0 CSi and E24 M6 on display at Monterey Car Week at the BMW Villa in Pebble Beach.