BMW calls its new-for-2008 X6 a "Sports Activity Coupe."
Now, let's bring some words that probably don't spring to the forefront of our brains. "Four doors," "hatchback," and "SUV" are probably not at all what you think of when you hear the word coupe. That is unless you're an engineer or product planner for BMW and you just worked on the latest addition to your model lineup, the 2008 X6.
If you were a BMW engineer or product planner, you would say that X6 is not a coupe in the same way that a car with two doors is a coupe. This 4-door, raised-suspension hatchback is a "Sports Activity Coupé" (pronounced 'koop-EH'). According to BMW, X6 "defies coupe conventions in one jaw-dropping look, combining coupe agility and SAV (Sports Activity Vehicle) versatility, taking the coupe to a higher level." But enough quoting from the press release. Let's see what this convention-defying vehicle has to show for itself.
What is it?
X6 derives a good portion of its basic look and design from BMW's X5 SUV, and they're similar enough under the skin for the EPA to classify X6 as a truck, rather than a car. X5 and X6 share the same 115.5-inch wheelbase and front-end appearance. The interior design and control layout are nearly identical, including BMW's much-maligned iDrive system that's used to govern audio, climate, and navigation system functions. Each comes in two trim levels, one with an inline six-cylinder engine; the other with a V8. All make use of a six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. They also come down the same assembly line at BMW's North American manufacturing facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
That's pretty much where BMW wants the comparisons to end, and it's largely true. X6 is slightly longer (0.9 inches), wider (two inches), and shorter (three inches) than X5. X5 can seat up to seven passengers; X6 is limited to just four.
While both use six- or eight-cylinder engines, the choices are drastically different. X5 3.0si models use a 260-horsepower 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine, and the X5 4.8i uses a 350-horsepower 4.8-liter V8. X6 xDrive35i versions have a twin-turbocharged 300-horsepower 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder. The top-line X6 xDrive50i also employs a pair of turbochargers to produce 400 horsepower from its 4.4-liter V8. In addition to the turbochargers, both engines gain an additional boost from their use of high-pressure gasoline direct injection.
The 2008 BMW X6 is available in V6-powered xDrive35i and V8-powered xDrive50i trims.
Other hardware unique to X6 includes available steering-wheel paddles to facilitate manual gear changes and BMW's new Dynamic Performance Control. DPC works in tandem with the all-wheel-drive system, incorporating pairs of planetary gears and clutch packs in order to distribute torque individually between the two rear wheels. It's designed to provide better steering feel and increased agility and stability, especially during aggressive cornering maneuvers.
Preview test drives around South Carolina's twisty back roads show that DPC does work as advertised. X6 indeed feels more nimble and confident on dry roads than its X5 sibling, particularly with the optional Sport Package, which includes 20-inch wheels and high-performance tires. The Sport Package's wheel/tire combination doesn't much care for wet roads, resulting in a slightly skittish feel in turns, but the DPC system provides an added safety net to keep the vehicle as close to the driver's intended line as possible.
What else is the X6? Fast, particularly with the V8, though the six-cylinder xDrive35i is no slouch. BMW says 0-60 mph takes 6.5 seconds in that model, which is quite sprightly for a vehicle that weighs slightly less than 4,900 lb. It definitely feels about that quick. The V8 xDrive50i is a two-and-a-half-ton boulder with a rocket engine strapped to it. 0-60 mph happens in 5.3 seconds, according to BMW, and seat-of-the-pants impressions corroborate that estimate. The V8's muscle-car exhaust roar adds to the fun.
Not only is X6 dynamically capable, the front part of the cabin looks and acts the part of a high-end, all-weather tourer. The interior is decked out in rich-looking leather trim, with plenty of soft-touch plastics and visible stitching. Flanking the center console on both sides are pieces of padded leather to cushion the driver's right knee and the passenger's left.
Those familiar with the X5 will otherwise feel right at home behind the wheel of the X6, for better or worse. The instrument panel layout is identical, with large gauges and center dashboard screen, where one must interact with iDrive for most audio, climate, navigation, and auxiliary functions. It's still not as simple to adjust the radio or program the navigation system as it ought to be, but iDrive can become second nature, given time and patience.
What it isn't
That's a nutshell look at this difficult-to-pigeonhole vehicle. So what isn't an X6?
A smooth-riding vehicle for one, especially when equipped with the Sport Package. The slightest road imperfections resonate throughout the cabin. It's tolerable if you live in an area where the year-round climate is good and the roads are smooth. If you live someplace where four distinct seasons can create potholes the size of the moon's Nectaris Basin, then you'll want to think twice before selecting the X6 as a daily driver.
X6's control layout is similar to that found in BMW's X5 premium midsize SUV.
X6 also isn't going to be a substitute for a genuine SUV when it comes to passenger and cargo accommodations. The greatly sloping roofline makes for a bold style statement, but it translates to limited headroom, both front and back. This is compounded by the fact that a high dashtop makes it tough for shorter drivers to see over the instrument cluster. While raising the seat partially compensates, if it's put it up too high, your head comes precariously close to brushing the headliner. X6 is also hard to see out of, as the styling interferes with straight rear and rear corner views.
Rear-seat passengers get their own seating compartments, as a center console is located where a middle passenger would sit. Again, headroom is tight, and legroom is not especially generous either. You can practically forget about sitting behind someone who's more than six-feet tall. Cargo room is more generous than what you would find in a traditional two-door coupe, but it pales in comparison to similar sport-themed wagons and SUVs.
X6 is not cheap. The xDrive35i starts at $53,275, about the same as a well-equipped X5 3.0si or a base X5 4.8i. The xDrive50i starts at an eye-popping $63,775. Take the V8 model, add the Sport Package and creature comforts such as heated and ventilated front seats, navigation system, rear DVD entertainment, premium leather upholstery, uprated audio system, and other niceties, and your bottom line swells to more than $75,000.
Perhaps above all else, X6 is not a vehicle with a clearly defined market. It's difficult to imagine how X6 will be cross-shopped in the marketplace. It's far more expensive than other SUV-flavored wagons such as the Subaru Outback or Volvo XC70. It's arguably more practical than the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class, which is another vehicle that's pitched as a four-door coupe. Its uniqueness is one of X6's greatest strengths, as well as one of its greatest weaknesses.
X6 has the power, handling capability, luxury features, and distinctive styling to satisfy those who place importance on such attributes. At the same time, BMW's X5 offers most of what the X6 does, along with more passenger and cargo room, all at a lower price point.
One thing to keep in mind is that for model-year 2009, BMW will introduce a gasoline/electric hybrid X6. The hybrid system will be a "2-mode" setup that BMW jointly developed with Chrysler and General Motors. Like the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, X6 will pair a gasoline engine with an electric motor. It will be able to run on one or both of its power sources, depending on driving demands. Full information about the 2009 BMW X6 Active Hybrid will be available closer to that vehicle's launch. Stay tuned for more info as it becomes available.
The xDrive35i starts at $53,275. The xDrive50i starts at $63,775.
04.14.2008
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