2007 BMW X6 Review

Specifications

For the past five years, one of the biggest trends in the luxury car market has been to make a regular four-door sedan look like a two-door coupe. Rarely does it work, but it does make for some very streamlined, rakish looking four-door sedans that appeal to those who want the looks of a sporty two-door but don’t want to give up the practicality of a four-door.

Take for instance the Mercedes-Benz CLS sedan. Sure it doesn’t outsell the E-Class that it’s based off, but it looks a whole lot more interesting, more distinguished and dare I say it, sexier. Others have followed, if not in suit, in concept. Aston Martin’s Rapide is on the way, as is the forthcoming Porsche Panamera, Jaguar’s make-or-break XF, and even a concept car that BMW showed in China this past year, the Concept CS – yes, these are all cars that are designed to look like sports cars, but with the convenience of four doors. BMW has done something completely different with the concept it showed at Frankfurt, however, by applying the essence of this four-door trend to its X5 Sports Activity Vehicle, creating the X6.


Show goers for this year’s Frankfurt auto show were treated to a preview of BMW’s upcoming sports activity coupe, the X6. The X6 is very clearly based on the X5, and features a nose that’s quite similar to the popular luxury utility vehicle, enhanced with a sportier lower valance that is akin to the one featured on the dramatic Concept CS sedan. But from the nose backwards, the X6 has its own unique look, characterized by a roofline that’s 2.8 inches lower than the X5, and a highly angled tailgate. This actually gives the X6 an overall profile that’s more like a tall-format fastback, with wraparound taillights that are a great deal more car-like than any sport utility vehicle. In this regard, the design is quite groundbreaking. Overall, the X6 is longer than the X5 and 1.7 inches wider, which gives the vehicle a planted, aggressive profile. A different look might be one of the main ideas behind the X6, but the real spirit behind the concept is to create the ultimate performance utility vehicle (rather, activity vehicle).


The X5 is a great driving vehicle, but the X6 seeks to improve on its credentials through the use of BMW’s latest drivetrain development, Dynamic Performance Control. This system operates much like Honda’s Super-Handling all-wheel drive system, featuring a differential that is capable of torque vectoring, the process where power is individually distributed to each of the wheels to counter oversteer and understeer. Using BMW’s Flexray electrical data transfer system, Dynamic Performance Control also interlinks steering action and damper information to the four-wheel drive system to allow the already brilliant handling X5 to take things a level further in X6 guise. But Dynamic Performance Control isn’t the only advancement that the X6 possesses – it also has BMW’s state of the art xDrive all wheel drive system, a technology that’s shaking up everything from the compact executive segment to the large, luxury SUV market.

Though dubbed a “Concept”, this vehicle is certain for production in about a year’s time (the IAA’s rules stipulate that any vehicle not in production within six months after the show ends be named a concept), and has been spied doing engineering testing all over the globe. Not surprisingly, one of the spots it often frequents is the Nurburgring. If the rumors are true, the X6 will be built alongside the X5 at the brand’s South Carolina factory, and will most likely be sold at a premium price to the standard X5 due to its advanced drivetrain technologies and sporty demeanor. At this time, BMW hasn’t revealed what the interior of the X6 will look like, but we’re going to go out on a limb and suggest that it will be quite similar to what the X5 features. The X5’s interior is pure BMW; minimalist, simple with focus on ergonomics and ease of use, and we can’t see why or how the X6 would differ.

Talk has already begun regarding the powertrains that will be available. Although this is pure speculation, at minimum we’d expect to see the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight six on the menu from the 335i and 535i. For a vehicle of this size, weight and caliber, a V8 without question will also be offered. The 4.8-liter Valvetronic unit from the X5 is a no-brainer match, but we’ve been hearing that this engine may be assisted in the not too distant future by a pair of turbochargers, like its smaller straight-six brother. Although less likely, some of the “M” engines, like the 4.0-liter V8 from the new M3 could be utilized here, as could the 5.0-liter V10 from the M5 and M6. The latter would make a mighty fine competitor to the AMG-tuned ML63 AMG. Sources have also suggested that the X6 may feature an 8-speed automatic instead of the current six-speed automatic. A manual transmission, however appealing, is unlikely.

Due to fact that high-performance utility vehicles (as cool as they are) have fallen into a less than favorable light by socialites, not to mention their ill effects in terms of emissions and consumption, BMW applied the research from its joint collaboration with GM and DaimlerChrysler (now Daimler and Chrysler) in a vehicle dubbed “ActiveHybrid”. This variant of the X6 features a variation of the two-mode hybrid system that is slated for use in the Dodge Durango / Chrysler Aspen and the Chevrolet Tahoe / GMC Yukon / Cadillac Escalade and GM pickup trucks. Just like all other two-mode vehicles, the X6 features the very complicated eCVT transmission and a battery pack installed in an unobtrusive way that doesn’t take up luggage space or interior room. The X6 ActiveHybrid Concept also marks the first time that BMW has shown off a true hybrid vehicle, and it too stands a good chance for production. BMW states that, compared to the non-hybrid versions of the X6, the ActiveHybrid can cut fuel consumption by up to 20-percent. The Active Hybrid model shown to the media yesterday in Los Angeles is painted a bluish silver, and features ActiveHybrid and other texts written down the side; the script on the tailgate is illuminated for extra effect.

The bottom line for the new X6 is the image and the delivery of true performance, which will ultimately be the characteristics that sell it. It is within this market that brands strive to produce the best performing vehicle, be it a specialty model like the Porsche Cayenne GTS, or an entirely new model like the Land Rover Range Rover Sport. Whatever your take on this exclusive world is, the blue and white Bavarian brand has certainly taken the concept of a four-door coupe to a whole new level.