Original sin

The one that started the whole SUV-coupe trend is back in the form of the third-generation model armed once again with a striking exterior

Around 12 years ago when the very first BMW X6 made its debut, most critics labelled it as silly calling its very existence pointless while purist were out with pitchforks outraged by the idea of an SUV-coupe, reacting as if BMW had done something worse than committing all seven deadly sins all at once! It was BMW, however, who eventually had the last laugh having sold close to half a million units of the X6 globally. Last year, the third generation X6 broke cover at the Frankfurt Motor Show and it is now on sale in India.

Although the X6 and this SUV-coupe segment have

been around for more than a decade, the design still manages to create plenty of visual drama thanks primarily to a roofline that sinks more severely than some of its rivals’ like the Audi Q8. The kidney grille sitting between the all-LED headlights, optional BMW Laserlight in our test car’s case, is bigger than before, but doesn’t look oversized. Buyers can opt for the “Iconic Glow’ feature for Rs 1 lakh which entails illumination for the grille that comes on with the headlamps. Cool or uncool? You decide. Compared to its predecessor, the new car is 26mm longer and 15mm wider but 6mm lower. Wheelbase has gone up by 42mm. In profile, the rear of the X6 seems a bit overweight and even the standard 20-inch rims appear small. BMW will let you pick 21-inch wheels at an additional

X6 IS THE ONE THAT BROUGHT THE SUV-COUPE SEGMENT INTO EXISTENCE

AND BMW HAS SOLD CLOSE TO HALF A MILLION UNITS GLOBALLY TILL DATE