BMW X6 M50i
Munich has a hunch you’re going to like this 390kW coupe-cum-SUV
THE BMW X6 is a bit like thinking your friend is a fool for having a ridiculous partner. You tolerate it because you know the relationship won’t last.
A few months down the track you’re proven right. However, BMW released the polarising coupe-cum-SUV in 2008 and it has remained a niche staple of its line-up ever since. Logic defied, then.
Three variants are available at launch: the entry-level xDrive30d ($121,900), mid-spec xDrive40i ($124,900) and the current range-topping M50i ($155,900) tested here. The X6M Competition, complete with M5-grade mechanical gubbins, is due next year.
In terms of exterior styling it’s more a nip and tuck to the ‘polarising and inspiring design’, though, the X6 is now longer (26mm), lower (6mm) and wider (15mm) for a more aggro stance.
The X6 gains BMW’s new interior design language, with a premium feel and logical ergonomics. BMW
Live Cockpit Professional and BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant (say “Hey BMW” to activate) are standard in all X6 variants. There’s a 12.3-inch infotainment system screen (controlled by the latest version of iDrive) with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while the second 12.3-inch screen is designated for the instrument cluster. Elements of the latter work well, but overall, rival digital dashes are better resolved.
Despite the lower roofline, headroom has increased and rear legroom has been liberated thanks to a 42mm stretch to the wheelbase. The X6 now has a 40/20/40 split second row and the boot has grown 30 litres to 580 litres (1530 litres with the rear seats folded.)
Overall, NVH levels are low.
The 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 is a hulk
of an engine, providing 390kW (55006000rpm) and 750Nm (1800-4600rpm). That’s 60kW and 100Nm more than the model the M50i replaces, and sees the 0-100km/h time plummet 0.5sec to a launch-control assisted 4.3sec. With allwheel drive and 315-section rear tyres, ‘the beast’ savages the tarmac and takes off like a 2.2-tonne SUV has no right to.
On a German autobahn you can easily riffle through the eight gears of the ZF automatic all the way to the electronically limited 250km/h top speed. It sounds mean, too, with deep baritones combining with tasteful pops and crackles on the overrun.
Weighing 2235kg and with a raised centre of gravity, you’d think the
M50i would be fighting a losing battle dynamically. Wrong. For all its on-paper deficiencies, the X6 carries its weight well with minimal bodyroll and a willingness to change direction that defies the SUV genre. The ride quality, on well-maintained roads surrounding Munich, is impressively supple for an SUV riding on 22-inch alloys. Adaptive M Professional suspension helps, with modes tailored to comfort and sportiness – the latter never becoming overtly harsh. A braked towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes helps fortify the ‘active lifestyle’ quotient, but few will option the $7500 xOffroad Package (available with 30d and 40i).
Love it or hate it, you have to admire the X6’s talents – especially in M50i guise. It’s a bold statement that requires a certain type of buyer, one who wouldn’t consider the pragmatic X5. Ultimately, BMW has made the X6’s coupe-meets-SUV relationship work. Against all odds, it’s here to stay. And with some 446,000 sales globally, who’s the fool?