Tuesday 28th June 2016

BMW X5 Le Mans: Time for Coffee?

BMW has apparently celebrated every other model in its 100-year history, so why not the 700hp X5?

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Rather like the E39 M5 wagon, E34 M5 cabriolet and M8 V12, the X5 Le Mans is one of those little know BMW projects that really deserves to be more widely known. As this is BMW's centenary year, what better time to draw attention to one of its maddest ever creations?

We were reminded of the X5 Le Mans last week, when BMW revealed its Goodwood sculpture with the '99 Le Mans-winning V12 LMR as part of it. The BMW PR team were unsure of a V12-engined X5 to celebrate the win when it was raised (perhaps unsurprisingly), so there was one thing for it - to YouTube!

And here we have it. An apparently normal X5 (bar some jazzy BBS wheels) with a 700hp V12 wedged into it and the ability to lap the Nordschleife in 7:50, at a time when nobody cared if you could lap the Nordschleife in 7:50. Yes, the video is in German, but it also involves Hans Stuck driving rather briskly and one of the most savage V12 noises you will ever hear. In an X5!

There's more info on the car available here, but it's surely high time BMW produced something equally daft again. Perhaps if the M6 GT3 is successful its engine can power a 2 Series? Silly, but this X5 proves sillier things have definitely happened before...

Vid here

 

Source: [BMW Blog]

[Al U]

here or hear?

[Don1]

If I remember correctly, EVO did an article on that. The engineers said the car would last 'hours' die to the bodyshell not being designed for what they were using it for.

Love it, total madness. They say Germans do not have a sense of humour...

[bmthnick1981]

Always liked the V12 x5, not much info around on it sadly.

[Matt UK]

Wow, that really is a very nice noise indeed!

[DM525i]

That is the best thing I have seen on here for ages. Manual gearbox, mad engine in a really silly car. That's nearly as daft and brilliant as it gets.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

I thought the X5 Le Mans was a limited edition model brought out on 55/06 plates. With 20" alloys and Le Mans blue paint. Mainly in 3.0 diesel guise.

[jumare]

I remember seeing this at Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2002, it drove past when I was walking around the paddock, the noise was incredible.

[Matt UK]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

I thought the X5 Le Mans was a limited edition model brought out on 55/06 plates. With 20" alloys and Le Mans blue paint. Mainly in 3.0 diesel guise.

Was that not an Audi A6?

[TIGA84]

Same engine give or take as the F1 I seem to remember, hence the epic noise!

Love a BMW special, wish they'd have done a bit more with the V10 M5 CSL and the E39 M5 Touring they made as well.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Matt UK said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

I thought the X5 Le Mans was a limited edition model brought out on 55/06 plates. With 20" alloys and Le Mans blue paint. Mainly in 3.0 diesel guise.

Was that not an Audi A6?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-X5-3-0d-Automatic-Le-Mans-Blue-Sport-Edition-High-Specification-/152067575783?hash=item2367ef0fe7:g:ft8AAOSw1DtXIggm

[Huskyman]

I remember reading about this back in the day, I don't remember it having 700bhp but I believe it was the S70/2 V12 out of the Mclaren F1 in it. Totally and utterly radio rental.

[Zombie]

Huskyman said:

I remember reading about this back in the day, I don't remember it having 700bhp but I believe it was the S70/2 V12 out of the Mclaren F1 in it. Totally and utterly radio rental.

That's the way I remember it too - They built one with a BMW V12 out of the Mclaren F1 in it. Is this a different one then?

[Buffy d]

Huskyman said:

I remember reading about this back in the day, I don't remember it having 700bhp but I believe it was the S70/2 V12 out of the Mclaren F1 in it. Totally and utterly radio rental.

Zombie said:

That's the way I remember it too - They built one with a BMW V12 out of the Mclaren F1 in it. Is this a different one then?

It's got the engine from the V12 LMR Le Mans racer, not the McLaren F1 road car, hence the higher power output and X5 Le Mans moniker.

Edited by Buffy d on Tuesday 28th June 14:15

[Matt UK]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Matt UK said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

I thought the X5 Le Mans was a limited edition model brought out on 55/06 plates. With 20" alloys and Le Mans blue paint. Mainly in 3.0 diesel guise.

Was that not an Audi A6?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-X5-3-0d-Automatic-Le-Mans-Blue-Sport-Edition-High-Specification-/152067575783?hash=item2367ef0fe7:g:ft8AAOSw1DtXIggm

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/audi/a6/audi-a6-3-0-tdi-quattro-le-mans-5dr-tip-auto/5862328?v=c

Both right

[Huskyman]

Buffy d said:

Huskyman said:

I remember reading about this back in the day, I don't remember it having 700bhp but I believe it was the S70/2 V12 out of the Mclaren F1 in it. Totally and utterly radio rental.

Zombie said:

That's the way I remember it too - They built one with a BMW V12 out of the Mclaren F1 in it. Is this a different one then?

It's got the engine from the V12 LMR Le Mans racer, not the McLaren F1 road car, hence the higher power output and X5 Le Mans moniker.

Edited by Buffy d on Tuesday 28th June 14:15

I was always under the impression that it was the s70/2, which had a reduced capacity of 5990cc compared to 6064cc of the McLaren when fitted to the V12 LM, and was changed to s70/3 when fitted to the LMR.

BMW wanted a competitive car at Le-Mans after the F1 GTR's became uncompetitive after 96.
Regardless what that engine was fitted to it made a wonderful noise

[muchacho]

Good timing. Has anyone here any experience of the first gen X5? I am hoping one might be a good prospect used (lamentably not the V12)?

[Don1]

I had one - when it was time, it started failing across the board. Ate tyres, it couldn't decide if was a 4x4 or a large estate.

But having said that, I would happily have another?

Edited by Don1 on Wednesday 29th June 10:42

[eliot]

jumare said:

I remember seeing this at Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2002, it drove past when I was walking around the paddock, the noise was incredible.

I saw it at Goodwood too. When it started up in the paddock, even the F1 boys turned round and said 'that's loud'

[Baryonyx]

What an awful car to inflict on that lovely engine.

[adingley84]

I love that someone, somewhere got paid by BMW to make this mental beast. Brings back my faith in the world!