Class Without the Flash: Nate's BMW X5M

With this blog, we are excited to return to a past tradition of customer spotlights. Our enthusiast customer base is numerous and full of variety, and we feel that is deserving of some celebration.

With that said, we would like to introduce Nate’s 2024 F95 X5M. Nate has been a customer for some time now, and is no stranger to BMWs. His previous cars include an M4 and a very tasteful, period correct E46 M3. His switch over to the X5M came in the last year, as he decided he wanted to downsize while still staying within the M family.

The X5M ticked the boxes of being practical yet thrilling, with plenty of room to build upon with upgrades from the names Nate loves.

He wasted no time with making the X5M his own, outfitting the car with KW coilovers, a Dinan exhaust system, and perfectly spec’d ANRKY wheels. For those taking notes, those details are as follows:

ANRKY RS2

• Gloss black centers with polished clear outer

• 22” x 10.5” , 23” x 11.5”

The vibe Nate was looking to achieve is, in his words, “understated mobster.” While some may prefer a more outgoing aesthetic, others like Nate more enjoy light touches of personality.

We have to say, we think he’s done a pretty good job. The M car sits nicely on the KW x ANRKY combo, with just a slight ride height lowering in the car’s future. The Dinan exhaust delivers a deeper, elevated version of the car’s stock tone of voice. The black exhaust tips and black wheel faces give the eye something with which to tie the exterior together, while not letting us overlook the polished lips.

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We look forward to seeing what else is in store for this build in the future. Nate has already covered many of the checklist items we love to see, so realistically, he’s rounding third base to home in terms of mods.

If you would like to see some of the upgrade/install progress of this car thus far, you can find some posts on our Instagram showing the process. Look out for more updates as well as Nate builds upon what is already a solid X5M.

Total ANRKY: Jimmy's F80 M3 and ANRKY Wheels

Performance Technic: Tell us a little about your preference for BMW. Did you own BMWs before you acquired your current F80?

Jimmy Philipose: As a kid, I always had a love for cars. In high school my first car was a ‘91 Acura Integra. My love for modifying cars started with this vehicle. After high school, I moved onto a ‘96 Acura Integra GSR, but I always dreamed of owning a BMW. Once I graduated from college and landed a job, I bought my first Bimmer, a 2004 330ci. I followed up the 3 series with a 2012 535i M Sport. Then, in 2018, I landed my dream car—my F80 M3!

PT: What appealed to you about the F80 M3?

JP: The M3 was a car that I dreamed about growing up, as I said before. I love the combination of performance and luxury that the vehicle offers. With the F80, I really liked how the rear end bulged out a little more than the M4. Plus, now that I have kids, the four doors really come in handy. I also haven't owned a manual since my days of owning an Integra. I didn't know how much longer manuals would be offered so once I found a manual F80 with the options I wanted, I had to go for it!

PT: Did you buy the car with the goal of modifying it, or did it happen organically after experiencing it stock?

JP: Definitely bought the car with modifications in mind. I don't think I have ever left a car stock!

PT: What wheel + suspension combination do you have on the car right now, and how did you come across ANRKY Wheels?

JP: Currently I am running ANRKY's RetroSeries RS1s with KWV3s for suspension. I started looking for new wheels just a month after buying my M3. I was really looking to purchase HRE 300 Classic Series, like I saw on Joe's M3. While looking at countless images on the web and social media, I noticed a company named ANRKY liking some of the HRE posts. Since I had never heard of the company, I looked to see what they offered and to my surprise, they had a lot of high end custom wheels with very aggressive designs that I liked. I started to follow their IG account and noticed they posted a up coming teaser for their new "RetroSeries line. Once I saw the picture of the RS1s, I was intrigued. After some research and finding out that they actually manufacture their wheels in the HRE facility, I decided to take a chance and order my own set.

PT: What are the specifications of your RetroSeries RS1s? How did you come to choose those specs, and does the car look the way you expected it would when you designed the wheels?

JP: The wheels are 20 x 9.5 up front with 20 x 11 in the rear. I am running Michelin Cup Sport 4s on 265/30/20s up front and 305/25/20s in the rear. Not sure of the offset, as I don't think ANRKY discloses that information. The process of picking the finishes on the wheels took me months. I kept going back and forth, often leaning to Joe for his advice. He was great and very patient with me. I just found it very difficult to find the right color wheel to go with Mineral Grey. I finally landed on a satin black finish for the face, with a polished gunmetal outer lip, and a polished gunmetal barrel. I was pretty worried that the combination could be possibly too dark for the car and not have enough pop to stand out. But once the wheels arrived at PTech, I knew I had made the right choice.

PT: How do you feel the wheels, suspension, and cosmetic upgrades improve the F80 platform?

JP: Honestly, I feel like the upgrades I have done have really transformed the car. I get a lot of compliments on the looks of the car and the fitment of the wheels. The suspension makes the car feel more planted to the ground. I am planning to track it one day so I can really see how it does with the suspension upgrades.

PT: Do you have any other plans to upgrade / modify the car, or are you happy with where it’s at now?

JP: Overall I am happy with the car, but I don't think I am done yet. In the next year I am planning a GTS hood, an upgraded intake, and midpipe / exhaust.

PT: How has your experience been with this new community since acquiring the car?

JP: In the last year I started attending some F80 events, and I have to say that the F80 community is a really great bunch of people. I really enjoy seeing everyones builds and talking to everyone. The F80 crew really is a great group!