BMW X5 Le Mans, a 700 CV German beast

Mónica Redondo @MonicaRedondoD 5 August 2021 2 min.

Did you know that the first high-performance SUV from BMW delivered 700 CV thanks to its V12 engine?

Do you think high-performance SUVs are something new? We’re going to prove you wrong. In the year 2000, BMW developed a concept that would mark a before and after in the automotive industry. It was called BMW X5 Le Mans and was presented at that same year’s Geneva Motor Show. BMW classified it as its first SAV, Sports Activity Vehicle, it featured all-wheel drive and a V12 engine that delivered, no more and no less, 700 CV of power.

This engine was the same one fitted to the BMW that won Le Mans in 1999: the V12 LMR. The BMW X5 Le Mans was a vehicle of large proportions with very muscular and aggressive lines. Its bonnet was made of laminated carbon fibre, its panels had been widened, and it had much more pronounced bumpers and wheel arches. The rear-view mirrors were inherited from the legendary BMW M3 E46.

This is the story of the BMW X5 Le Mans

This impressive high-performance SUV could be fitted with 20-inch BBS wheels in a staggered setup: 275/40 at the front and 315/35 at the rear axle. Compared with the conventional BMW X5, this revolutionary concept had a suspension lowered by 30 mm. The weight distribution was almost perfect: 51% front, 49% rear. It had seating for four passengers, as it was fitted with very special seats, Recaro and safety harnesses instead of seatbelts.

https://youtu.be/hN1EwIFrRLU

Want more? This powerful SUV set a time of 7 minutes 49 seconds at Nürburgring thanks to Hans-Joachim Stuck in 2001. Its top speed? 311 km/h. The BMW X5 Le Mans delivers just over 700 CV and 720 Nm of maximum torque. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds. The powertrain was paired with a six-speed manual gearbox.