09/10/2026
Latest Arrival: 2002 BMW X5 4.6is
$27,800
214,136km
Sydney, Australia
Long before the X5 M, there was the X5 4.6is. Produced between 2002 and 2003, the 4.6is sat at the top of the original E53 X5 range and represented one of BMW’s earliest attempts at combining serious performance with the practicality of an SUV.
This particular example takes that specification even further, finished in iconic Imola Red with BMW Individual Imola Red leather, with complementing 20” Star Spoke Style 87 wheels creating an exceptionally bold and rarely seen combination.
Powered by a 4.6-litre naturally aspirated M62 V8 producing 255kW and 480Nm, the 4.6is came from the same broader BMW V8 engine family that formed the basis for the legendary S62 found in the E39 M5. While not an M engine itself, it gave the X5 genuine performance credentials and helped establish the formula that would eventually lead to the modern X5 M.
The 4.6is received far more than just additional power. Aggressive bodywork, flared wheel arches, massive 20-inch wheels and performance-focused instrumentation gave it a presence and character unlike the standard X5.
The original X5 was designed under Frank Stephenson, whose remarkable portfolio would later include cars such as the Ferrari F430 and McLaren P1. More than two decades later, the E53’s clean proportions and purposeful design have aged exceptionally well.
With its naturally aspirated V8, distinctive Individual specification and significance in the history of BMW’s performance SUVs, the X5 4.6is is becoming an increasingly interesting modern classic. An opportunity to own the model that helped lay the foundations for an entire generation of high-performance BMW SUVs.
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