The 2006 BMW X5 was turned into a full-fledged SUV (8 photos + 1 video)
American tuners have completely rebuilt the BWM X5 crossover into a full-fledged SUV with a powerful engine and an all-terrain chassis. The assembly called Ultra X5 has already been tested on the most famous and difficult routes. 
The standard power unit of the BMW X5 was replaced with a small-block Chevrolet LSx V8 with a volume of 6.7 liters. The engine output is not specified, but it is known that the basic version of the engine was modified at Texas Speed & Performance. The unit works with a reinforced GM 6-speed automatic transmission and a transfer case with two low-range ranges.
The chassis of the Bavarian ex-crossover uses axles from heavy Ford Super Duty pickups with Bilstein Stage 3 coilovers, which provide suspension travel of over 350 mm. The Ultra X5 is shod with 17-inch wheels with 40-inch Mickey Thompson Baja Boss tires. The wheel arches, of course, had to be radically trimmed. Other modifications include additional light, a winch, a set of sandtrucks and an expedition rack.
The tuners showed off the fruits of their labors at the recent SEMA show before heading to Mojave to test the Ultra X5 in real-world conditions. The rocky desert in Utah is one of the most popular destinations for off-road enthusiasts and has several established trails of varying degrees of difficulty. The creators of the Ultra X5 published a video report on the conquest of several of them, and, judging by the video, the SUV, with the exception of one incident, did not encounter any significant obstacles.
