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We are usually reluctant to comment too much on car design as it is, after all, a matter of personal taste. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and all that. The BMW X6 M is an – or perhaps, the - exception to the rule in all the current vehicles available around the world. With computers playing a large part in car design, our favourite mode of transport has – for some time - become overall just another sausage in a different butcher shop. Apart from the rakish X6.
It is a love-it-or-hate it design. Most people we spoke to came into the latter category. It reminds us of one of those early computer car race games where you get a choice of a radical vehicle: a dump truck or a car that you might see as concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Concept cars rarely go into production in the same guise they were first shown. Yet, here is a car that could easily be a concept – a bright idea from the design kings at BMW - or straight from a computer game.
After a week in the car we do not love it. Nor do we hate it. What we do like is the boldness of BMW to take the plunge and actually see it through to production. We don't know if US singer-songwriter, the out-there Pink drives a car, but if she does it would not surprise us if it's an X6 M. Car and entertainer have a lot in common when it comes to attitude.
The X6 M's road attitude is one of pure aggression. It sits on enough rubber to supply an F1 team and then there's that rear end: a fastback, which in my case finishes at almost shoulder height. So to pigeon hole the X6 it's a four-door fastback SUV - in the case of the twin-turbo 4.4 litre V8 `M' variant – on a whole lot more than mere steroids. M cars traditionally are about more than just straight-line speed.
The X6 M is a vehicle that goes against the grain of accepted practice: There are are only four seats, forget economy, most people don't like it's styling, and it will set you back the better part of $180,000 – and that's before on roads costs. We have to say it's one hell of a drive though. The facts speak for themselves: 0-100 km/h in just 4.7 seconds. Acceleration such as this would make many a genuine sports car green with envy. Top speed is governed to 250 km/h.
Despite the high center of gravity the X6 M handles like a sports car and is worthy of wearing the BMW high-performance M badge. It turns in beautifully at speed and body roll is negligible even on tight, twisting roads. What we found strange was the exhaust note. It sounds like a traditional BMW straight six more than a V8, even under full pelt. Given the rest of the vehicle is so out there, it's surprising the sound engineers at BMW did not opt for a more raucous V8 burble. Still, we always liked the straight six exhaust note from classic Bimmers.
The engine has peak power of 408 kW and 680 Nm of torque on tap between 1500 – 5650 rpm run through a six speed auto with manual shifter plus paddle shifters attached to the steering wheel. This engine is a development of the naturally-aspirated V8 found in X5 and X6 variants. There is so much torque – across a wide rev band - you can select the wrong gear and it matters little to performance. Gear shifts are snappy with momentary torque reduction thanks to the brief cancellation of fuel injection and ignition during shifts.
The X6 M is targeted at people who are likely to buy vehicles such as the Mercedes Benz ML 63 AMG or Porsche Cayenne Turbo. The BMW has faster acceleration than both of these marques. BMW claim combined fuel economy of 14.3 litres/100 km. More telling is the city figure of 20.1 litres/100 km. We did not come close to the combined figure, but we do admit to being a little enthusiastic behind the wheel and did test the vehicle on steep, mountainous roads in the Gold Coast hinterland.
The cabin is well-laid out and provides luxurious comfort for both front and back seat passengers. With the X6's sweeping and plunging roof line, head room could be an issue for taller back seat passengers. As it is the car's roof lining is indented above the rear seat to give as much head room as possible. At 167 mm tall we had just a few centimetres clearance. The vehicle is set up as a business conference centre. A DVD screen sits between the front seats for rear seat passengers. The screen can be tilted towards either seat. There all manner of entertainment and communication technology at hand.
As an M car it is chock full of technology, not just on the communication side. The suspension has been extensively tweaked and the car sits 10mm lower than the garden variety X5 and X6 models. The shock absorbers are stiffer and there are modified sway bars. The dampers are adjustable electronically via the EDC button to suit driving conditions and style and there's also a M Dynamic Mode (MDM) which elevates the control thresholds for those accustomed and trained in dynamic driving. Ideally, this should occur on track days in a controlled environment.
The X6 M comes in a variety of colours – ours was `Melbourne Red' – including Alpine White, plus metallic options including Carbon Black, Black Sapphire, Silverstone, Space Grey and Monte Carlo Blue. Interior choices include Merino Leather in black, Silverstone or Bamboo Beige, that extends to the centre console, door trims and armrest.
VERDICT: The X6 M has the wow factor in appearance and performance. Not for shrinking violets.
MODEL RANGE AND PRICING
X6 3.0 xDrive 35i $117,200
X6 3.0 xDrive 35d $123,000
X6 4.4 xDrive 50i $146,900
X6 4.4 xDrive M $179,900
FEATURES
ABS Brakes: Standard
Air Conditioning: Standard
Automatic Transmission: Standard
CD Player: Standard
Central Locking: Standard
Cruise Control: Standard
Dual Front Airbags: Standard
Front Side Airbags: Standard
Stability Control: Standard
Traction Control: Standard
SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE:
Capacity: 4.395 litres
Configuration: Direct injection M V8
Head Design: 32 Valve
Induction: Twin Garrett turbochargers
Maximum Power: 408 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque: 680 Nm @ 1500 – 5650 rpm
DRIVELINE:
AWD
Manual Transmission: N/A
Automatic Transmission: Six speed
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4876 mm
Wheelbase: 2933 mm
Width: 1983 mm
Height: 1684 mm
Turning Circle: 12.8 metres
Kerb Mass: 2305 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 85 litres
Towing Ability: 2700 kg (kg with braked trailer)
SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: Double wishbone front control arms
Rear Suspension: Integral four link
Front Brakes: Disc
Rear Brakes: Disc
Wheels: 20 inch light-alloys
PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: 4.7 seconds
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Type: Petrol 98 RON
Combined Cycle (ADR 81/01): 14.3 L/100km
GREEN VEHICLE GUIDE RATINGS:
Greenhouse Rating: 3/10
Air Pollution Rating: 7.5/10
STANDARD WARRANTY:
3 years/ unlimited km
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