Appleby’s M5 Ute at Deni Muster
October 6, 2008 by Matt Brogan
Of all the utes to attend Deni this weekend, one in particular stood out from the crowd for being… well, unique.
Professional Golfer Stuart Appleby grew up in country Victoria and has always had a passion for cars, in particular he’s an avid BMW fan, favouring the M5. But a country boy at heart, the love of utes never quite waned and with no M5 ute available in BMW’s showroom, Stuart did the next best thing – build his own.
The concept had been a dream for a number of years and even Stuart admits it’s “a bit out of left field”, but determined to see it through, the M5 was unveiled at Deni to a very positive crowd reaction.
Originally purchased in 2006, the M5 sedan was converted by Shane Rowe, owner of Southern Rod & Custom here in Deniliquin. Shane over saw all design, fabrication, mechanical and custom work to deliver Stuart a “turn key” M5 Ute, just in time for Deni.
For more info and pics on Stuart’s M5 ute click here. I’m sure you’ll agree the result in pretty impressive.
Print it: 
Wow, totally cool. Nice taste and nice execution of the design. bravo.
Did they use Commodore ute quarter windows?
Wow this thing come up alright!!
Only a cashed up bogan can destroy a car like that!!! It’s a sad sight for BMW fans……
Very cool.
Almost… Magical!
This is just as pointless as spending heaps of $$$$ to hot up a Hyundai Excel.
Hay Appleby, why not make a trailer for it from a Merc?
Could only be justified if the donor car was the written-off victim of major rear-end crash damage, otherwise why didn’t he do it to the current model?
Not bad. Everything is better in wagon-form, so ute-form is next best I guess. The skyvia ute in DA is pretty sweet too.
I’m sorry but this is one of the most tasteless and uncool things on the planet. Anyone who thinks it is is cool or tastefull obviously, well, isn’t cool and has no taste! What a horrible thing to do to a poor m5. Even David Beckham has more taste than that when it comes to cars and have you seen his x5? It’s almost beautiful when compared to this. I hope BMW has hitmen for when things like this come up. And caradvice, anyone who is an avid BMW fan wouldn’t do this. How are utes even practical when it’s got that big hard cover on it? Ugly, tasteless and unpractical.
Alex,
I’m here to tell you mate, he is a fan. He owns quite a few, and as for the criticism – well each to his own I guess. But I don’t see how it’s any different to any other chopped and mod’ed car. Plenty more where this came from, and if you’ve got the money – why not?
Matt.
Ummmmmmmmmm,dont like the bonnet rest looks real cool ! I have to tell my new best mate in the UK about this ,hes an BMW nutter like me having had over 46 BMWs,I think that makes you an addict Neil! Ill wake him up !
Well executed but frankly ugly all out of proportion. I’d have kept the M5 saloon personally. Not withstanding that I hope the dudes happy with it, Bravo for individuality.
Stuart, I’m sure your not listening to those negative nellies on this page. Do your own thing, thats what life is about. Whether you like it or not it looks like a great job.
Robj
Nice vt wagon.
Pretty ordinary, I’m glad I’m not the only one seeing this!
Cashed up bogan = lmfao.
Why?
To Matt Brogan, I couldn’t disagree more but I’m not going to argue it because I don’t want to write another ten comments – maybe well argue another time :). I can’t argue the individuality comments, I just think there is good indvidual and bad individual and for me, this is bad. I also hope this man knows that there’s alot of real BMW enthusiasts out there that would like to spit on him, steal his car and restore the poor thing back to it’s original. I think the worst part of all of this is that I feel sorry for an M5. You shouldn’t have to feel sorry for an M5.
Alex, tell me 1 thing that is wrong with an M5 ute? Just because its not what everybody else wants doesn’t mean its bad. Its built well, and just because u thing some purists wont like it has the slightest degree of meaning in the situation. How is it wrecked? It still is a rocket, will still corner well and will be more fun due to less weight over the rear wheels.
Not sure what some of you lot are on about calling Stuart a cashed up bogan or saying something like the work performed is akin to blasphemy of the BMW name. I am a fan of good quality work and this is excellent.
And as far as the BMW ‘name’ is concerned, go for a drive in South Western Sydney to see the number of doof doof BMWs there are about. Some of you need to seriously get a grip.
Great work.
I guess if you owned that many BMW before, it sounds more reasonable. I bet Alex would have just 1 or 2 BMW in his life, and cannot afford an M5. But the person in the article would have been bored with the standard M5 already, and made it something that he personally liked.
I wonder why he hasn’t started out with the new BMW M5 Touring Wagon chassis.
nice job with the M5 Ute… very well done… i reckon it looks sweet, and thanks god that he did it properly and not half Arsed….
M5 for stuart is a avg car for him considering that he does own a Lambo and a Ford GT(40) so really a M5 for him is like a SS or XR8 to the rest of us…
is this M5 a V8 or V10, not sure what engine this model had as i am not in to BMWs that much…
ChopstaR87: “is this M5 a V8 or V10, not sure what engine this model had as i am not in to BMWs that much…”
Its a 5.0L V8 in the E39 M5. Don’t really know why he’d turn one into a ute, but oh well.. its his cash, his car.
I just released he is wearing thongs with his jeans, I haven’t seen anyone do that since 1996 at the Semaphore hotel in Adelaide, classy. Speaks volumes and explains the brain explosion that led to the BMW Ute.
Salesman……………you seem to be an expert on fashion too now,who cares if hes wearing thongs with jeans,hes also wearing an FPV shirt. Shows he really does have taste!
Anti spam word BMWM5…………spooky!
Would you say that if he was wearing a Toto and an FPV shirt?
No offence, I am just really board today. No customers to talk to. Hopefully that 1% rate drop will be passed on by the banks and stimulate the economy.
More customers = less boredom = less comments on blog…….
hahaha him own BMWs and wear a Toyota shirt,that’s not likely to happen.
I don’t mind it except for the louvred bonnet – it looks tacky and so boy racer… a binnet bulge nostrils or a subtle bonnet scoop would be far more BMW-esque
I also think that the rear guards could have been flared more and the sailplane should have flowed into the tray more – something like the HRT Maloo concept maybe
Im gonna bow out of this because I obviously don’t agree with what a lot of other people here think. I just want to clear up one thing with Ivan first which is, in my 15 years of driving, I have owned/do own 9 BMWs. I currently have a 1967 BMW 2000 CS, a Z3 Coupe, a current M5 Touring (yes I can afford one), an old Isetta (not sure what year) and Im also having an old 850i restored. I have owned an original X5, a first generation 530i, an E34 M5 Touring and a 1992 318i Cabriolet. My dream that I still want to find is an immaculate, red original M1. I suppose the thing for me is that I love BMWs and hate to see any of them altered. I want original wheels, paint jobs, light clusters etc. and I certainly don’t like to see them altered into that. Im sure you can also tell that I am not a ute fan in the slightest.
Hey Alex,
No one’s doubting your love for the product mate, but everyone should be allowed to enjoy their vehicle how they see fit to enjoy it. Imagine no T-Buckets, no Rods or no modified streeters – it’d be pretty dull hey?
I’m all for preserving rare and one-off beasts (I have one of my own), but there’s heaps of M5s, and losing one to someone who’s going to enjoy it isn’t a great loss. If anything, I can see some upsides.
Anyway, I just wanted to say that I don’t think you’re wrong and I’m not saying I’m right, it’s just a difference in opinion and thanks for having the b*alls to leave it.
Oh and enjoy your collection BTW, sounds rather sweet, especially the ‘67 CS.
Cheers Matt.
i reckon this thing is really cool, i know shane rowe form souther rod and custome really well, its prob better built that oit was in germany!!!
With BMW doing all sorts of crazy cars at the minute i wonder if we will ever see a factory produced M5 UTE!
HEY Tonyn you what you doing on here…………slow day? I doubt BMW will be that adventurous babe………
Unfortunately I can’t see BMW building a M3 or M5 ute.
However; if he was going to make a truly unique one off vehicle then he should’ve added either Gull-wing Doors; Suicide Doors; or even Doors like on the Ford GT-40
i broke my ban on here seeing you guys have forgiven them, i will too…. so i will post on here again!!
Its very slow BM!
I think what appeals to me is how close it is to being OEM spec, the fact it hasnt got gullwing doors or anything really appeals to me, its my kind of custom!!
I’ve been watching this build for well over a year.
I was very much thinking “what the hell”
But when he made a web site about the build http://www.m5ute.com I started to watch it.
The time and effort the shop has put in this is of the highest level.
I guess if your going to do something this different then it better be done 100% correctly.
If you do “M5 ute” You Tube search you’ll get more stuff on the stages of the build and I just found a bit of it finished and starting up.
The quarter glass and rear was a totally custom nothing from the Holden parts bin.
BB
I forgot to mention, the http://www.m5ute.com site is usually updated monthly so I’m guessing it might have some newer pics of it finished in the next week odd?
I looked on the SRC site http://www.southernrodcustom.com and didn’t see anything real new.
Gotta say that guy’d got some nice builds going.
BB
Well done Appleby, that’s awesome, geat job, brilliant! Can’t believe BMW don’t offer an M5 ute and that a man has to go and build his own. Silly Germans.
And as for all the critics, particularly that salesman fella that lives and breathes and sells Korean cars (do you reckon he lies awake at night depressed about his wasted life?), jealousy is a curse!
Bravo Appleby!!
For everyone who says this is tasteless waste of an M5 – I am the worlds most stalwart BMW enthusiast. I am private school born & raised. My father is old money english born aristocracy. I believe I have a valid opinion of what constitues good taste. This car is beautifully executed and is a work of art. The only thing that bites me is the bonnet vents. Wonderfully executed and brilliantly engineered it is truly unique. I tip my top hat to Stuart for what he has commissioned. Well done I love it.
i don’t believe someone can be so stupid to do this. i mean he got the car, he drove it for a while and thought what i need is a pick up tuck because it drives better and looks better also it shows my respect to the M so i will make it one. btw have u posted this in any M5 forum??? i bet a hit-man will pay the owner a visit to shove his sandals in his mouth. lol…
to all the idiots that have said this is a bad thing or its ugly or anything else get F***ed this is one of the best things u could do to a BMW it down right awesome to alex leave it alone mate it wicked maybe it you who hasn’t got any taste in cars and to who ever said a Ute wasn’t practical maybe you need to get away from the city and ya desk job and go to a place with Utes hardtop or not Utes ARE PRACTICAL and an AUSTRALIAN ICON UTES RULE and Matt brogan good show mate again this is one of the best things you could do with a BMW every one has the right to there own opinion and mine is that this is awesome to all the people who have said this is good then good on ya.good thinking Stuart couldn’t have done it better myself.