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E39 BMW M5 Restomod Adapts the X-Line's Design, Is Merely Wishful Thinking

Possibly because of the interesting way BMW’s second-ever exclusive M product aims to disrupt the perception about high-performance luxury SUVs, the Bavarians are on everyone’s minds.
E39 BMW M5 Restomod rendering by a.c.g_design 43 photos
Photo: a.c.g_design / Instagram
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And that, of course, is more than obvious when talking about the virtual realm’s automotive artists. Some have been keen to morph the first-ever XM into something else (like a pickup truck!), others have used some of its parts to create the BMW 7 Series M760e Touring plug-in hybrid station wagon. Meanwhile, a few do not even give it a second thought, instead looking back in time, with love, to moments of calmer BMW styling DNA.

For example, according to the virtual automotive designer better known as a.c.g_design on social media, one can always use a CGI time machine and fiddle with glorious BMWs, such as the M5 series. Not all of them at once, of course. Instead, the pixel master chose to direct his restomod redesign attention to the third iteration, the E39 M5 that was produced between 1998 and 2003. A staple of traditional BMW “angel eye” styling, this iteration was notorious for being the first to implement M5’s now-famous V8 engines.

Back then, it used a 4.9-liter S62 V8 mill that gave it access to a 400-ps stable of ponies (which is 395 hp), transforming this executive sedan into a frightening machine that could hit 62 mph (100 kph) in less than five seconds and allegedly top out during unrestricted max speed testing at more than 300 kph (186 kph). Quite magical for early 21st-century motoring, right?

Thus, it is no wonder the CGI expert chose this particular iteration for his restomod redesign – which seems to have successfully deployed and adapted some X-line styling. Sure, there also seems to be direct inspiration from the X3 compact crossover SUV, as far as the taillights are concerned, but unfortunately, there is no explanation about that particular choice. It still looks cool, though, right?


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Editor's note: Gallery includes official images of E39 BMW M5.

About the author: Aurel Niculescu
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Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution.
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