Article Summary
- Ronnie Fieg’s restored E53 BMW X5 features an S85 V10, a six-speed manual, and its original all-wheel-drive system.
- The 2027 BMW X5 by Kith debuts Frozen Titanium Silver, a color unavailable on the regular production model.
- Both SUVs will make their public debut during Monterey Car Week at the BMW Villa in Pebble Beach.
The Kith and BMW partnership continues to deepen. Revealing the first major details of the brand’s fourth (at least) collaboration via Instagram, founder and CEO Ronnie Fieg has given us a taste of what Chapter IV looks and sounds like. Rather than building around another M car, Kith founder Ronnie Fieg is turning his attention to the BMW X5. Perhaps unsurprising, considering it’s the latest Neue Klasse launch. The new collection connects the original E53-generation SUV with the all-new 2027 BMW X5. Predictably, the older car is far from stock: Fieg’s 2000 X5 has undergone an extensive restoration and now packs one of BMW M’s most memorable engines. Its modern counterpart, meanwhile, previews a new frozen paint color that BMW will not offer to regular X5 buyers.
The Original BMW X5 Gets an S85 V10
The centerpiece of the project may ultimately be Fieg’s first-generation X5. According to the Kith founder, the 2000 E53 received a complete rotisserie restoration before being fitted with a 5.0-liter S85 V10 and a six-speed manual transmission. That is, of course, the naturally aspirated engine most closely associated with the E60 M5 and E63 M6. BMW never built a V10-powered E53 X5 — although the radical V12-powered X5 Le Mans was clearly an influence. Incredibly, the original all-wheel drive system remains intact. That inches Fieg’s creation decidedly closer to an unofficial interpretation of what an early X5 M might have looked like.
The decision to work on an X5 fits the established Kith x BMW formula. Each chapter has paired a historically significant BMW with a contemporary model, using the older car to explain the design and color choices applied to the newer one. Fieg has described that connection between BMW’s archive and its latest products as a central responsibility whenever he works with the automaker. Fieg’s E53 is finished in Titanium Silver Metallic, which is our first link to the second half of the collaboration.
The 2027 BMW X5 by Kith Debuts a New Frozen Color
On the modern side of Chapter IV is the 2027 BMW X5 by Kith. The bespoke SUV will be presented in Frozen Titanium Silver, creating a matte interpretation of the color used on Fieg’s restored E53. According to the announcement, the paint will not be publicly available on the new X5. Kith has not disclosed the new X5’s mechanical specification or shown all of its unique interior and exterior details. It also remains unclear whether BMW intends to produce a limited run for customers or whether the vehicle will remain a one-off design study.
However, previous collaborations suggest, although fall short of guarantee, a small production run. Chapter I introduced the Cinnabar Red BMW M4 Competition x Kith in 2020, which had a 150-unit production run. The next chapter shifted to the electric i4 M50 in Vitality Green, which had a much smaller run of just seven examples. Chapter III paired Fieg’s Techno Violet BMW M1 with the XM Kith Concept, which eventually inspired 47 production examples of the BMW XM by Kith priced at $199,000 each.
Full Reveal Coming During Monterey Car Week
Both X5s are scheduled to appear at the BMW Villa at Pebble Beach during Monterey Car Week. Fieg also plans to display his BMW 3.0 CSi and E24 M6 alongside the SUVs. Like with previous Kith collabs, there’s something for everyone to love here. We’ll have all the details later in the week! In the meantime, you can check out Fieg’s Instagram post for pics and more information.
