Due to its controversial design, the Chris Bangle-era BMW 5 Series received a lot of criticism. However, more than a decade after the E60 left production to make room for the F10, it is a head-turning ride, a great daily, and a force to be reckoned with when it comes to the V10-powered M5.
Now, this story does not have anything to do with the super sedan, as it is focused around the normal 5er, in the 530d xDrive configuration. The car has long overcome its executive sedan status, as it now roams free with proper 4x4s, tackling arduous terrains on a constant basis.
In order to turn it into a very extreme (for a 5er) off-roader, the owner appears to have fitted it with solid axles. The ground clearance has been increased by a few inches, and its new nature is complemented by the big off-road tires that required a lot of chopping in order to fit under the arches.
The exoskeleton keeps occupants safe if it decides to go belly up, and does little to protect the body, which looks like it has seen better days. It even lost a mirror after it hit a tree in the short video embedded at the bottom of the page, and no one cared about it, because everything is replaceable in the end, isn’t it?
It did not need an all-wheel drive system, because the rear-biased xDrive came from the factory. It also has a decent amount of thrust available via the right pedal, considering that it packs a 3.0-liter turbodiesel, which is used to enable a 0 to 62 mph (0-100 kph) in around 6.5 seconds.
Not many car owners, regardless of the make, model, and body style, would dare thrash them off the lit path, so seeing this rather old 5er tackle a challenging course through the woods, apparently somewhere in Italy, is definitely satisfying.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News