  the bmw e53 is the first-generation bmw x5 mid-sized luxury crossover suv. it was produced from 1999-2006 and has been replaced by the bmw e70. the e53 was developed at a time when bmw still owned land rover and as such shares many components and designs with both the land rover range rover l322 model (specifically the hill descent system and off road engine management system) and the bmw e39 5-series (specifically engines and electronic systems). the entire in-car entertainment system (radio function, navigation system, television and telecommunications systems) are shared with other bmws and l322. as a result the x5 model earlier models and l322 can be easily upgraded with the newest bmw technologies. ==history== thumb|left|2000â2003 bmw x5 (e53) 4.4i (australia) the history of the x5 begins in 1994, when ideas began on a bmw sports utility vehicle after the acquisition of land rover. eduard walek was named project leader and chief engineer of the e53. chris chapman joined bmw group's designworks in california later and began working with bangle in munich on two full-scale clay models of the e53 for two months. by the autumn of 1996, design work was approved and the design basis for the x5 (e53) was defined, 35
2000s_automobiles BMW_model_codes BMW_vehicles Mid-size_sport_utility_vehicles Sport_utility_vehicles Vehicles_introduced_in_1999