15 Jan 08
BMW's X6, a sporty SUV, goes on sale in the UK in May.
Described by BMW as a 'sports activity coupe', the X6 is closely related to the X5. It's a five-door hatchback with four seats, a sharply-sloped tailgate and lower ride height, plus BMW's xDrive four-wheel-drive system.
All the engines are turbocharged: the range-topper's an all-new twin-turbo V8, a new version of the 4.4-litre unit developing 408bhp and giving 155mph and 0-60mph in 5.4 seconds. Fuel consumption is 22.6mpg and carbon dioxide emissions are 299g/km for this model, which takes the unwieldy name-badge of X6 xDrive50i.
The X6 xDrive35i has the 306bhp twin-turbo 3.0-litre straight-six, good for 149mph, 0-60 in 6.7 seconds, 25.9mpg and 262g/km. But British buyers will prefer the diesels: the X6 xDrive30d gets the 235bhp 3.0-litre engine (137mph, 0-60 in eight seconds, 34.4mpg and 217g/km), and the X6 xDrive35d 286bhp, for 147mph, 0-60 in 6.9 seconds, 34mpg and 220g/km.
Although even the diesels are in the Band F category for tax, all four versions do incorporate BMW's Efficient Dynamics technology: brake energy regeneration to recapture energy lost under deceleration, intelligent alternator activation to reduce demand on engine power, reduced rolling-resistance tyres and low-friction transmission fluids all feature.
A new system called Dynamic Peformance Control makes its debut in the X6; this is a kind of stability control that can distribute drive forces between each of the rear wheels, both under power and with the engine on over-run. It has been designed to transfer additional wheel speed to the outer rear wheel on a bend to help push the car round a corner, rather than braking the inner wheel as in other stability control set-ups.
UK pricing hasn't yet been announced for the X6, but standard equipment will include 19" alloy wheels, xenon headlights, front and rear parking sensors, sports suspension, six-speed automatic transmission, part-electric seat adjustment, dual-zone climate control, Isofix child seat mounting points and iDrive with a colour display screen. X6 xDrive50i models will get a different wheel design, self-levelling rear suspension, a different exhaust tailpipe design, different grille and side window surround, and leather upholstery. Options will include the Adaptive Drive handling package, Active Steering, a head-up display, adaptive headlights, reversing camera and four-zone climate control.
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