GREENVILLE, USA – As the faltering afternoon sun caresses the asphalt of a meandering country road on the outskirts of Spartanburg, the autumnal foliage of South Carolina represents a sumptuous palette of cerise, persimmon and ochre. Perched in the sculpted captain’s chair of the second-generation X6’s cocoon, you observe the scenery blur into a slush of vivid hues and a thickening of the double cream exhaust note announces a burst of pace. The BMW is revelling in its element.
Powered by a twin turbo 4,4-litre V8 mated with an updated eight-speed Steptronic transmission and producing peak power of 330 kW, the xDrive50i builds a head of speed with consummate ease. With the pleasure centres of the author’s driver-brain well stimulated, fond memories of a year spent as custodian of a first generation X6 xDrive40d (see July 2012 issue) flooded back. That behemoth whisked many belles and beaus to social events and on trips to the Karoo, it would pile into snaking mountain passes with relish; it leant, sure, but never came unglued. It had infuriating idiosyncrasies, but we liked it nevertheless.
By comparison, this newcomer flaunts its better breeding right from the onset. Admittedly, the previous vehicle’s side mirrors resembled short-stem spatulas and the newcomer has a slippier shape (0,32 Cd), but even when shod with 20-inch boots that tend to rumble on coarser sealed surfaces, the X6 exhibits much better cabin noise suppression and the general ride quality, although not plush, is much more forgiving than before. Even with the X6’s more refined road manners and the wicked combination of its slick transmission with the muscular V8 motor – it would be remiss not to mention the inviting interior treatment. The newcomer’s cockpit tastefully blends opulent swathes of stitched leather and expanses of veneer (or metal-look) inserts with a plethora of high-end onboard technologies. The 9,2-inch infotainment display is welcome, as is the facia-mounted driving assistant hot button, and the head-up display, parking assist, surround view and night vision (with dynamic light spot) functions can be very useful, if specified.
So far the X6 is swell, but something feels amiss. The suspicion begins when the troupe of motor journalists returned to BMW’s manufacturing plant after the test drive to conduct dynamic testing at the adjacent M Performance Driving School’s facility. For the event, the Munich-based firm’s Spartanburg plant (established in 1994), arranged a display of previous X models that it had produced in the past 20 years. Among them was the first X6, which was parked opposite its successor.
Then the penny dropped. As CAR suggested in the introduction to the comparative test of the BMW X4 and Range Rover Evoque in the previous issue, the original X6 was controversial for its curious raison d’etre, outlandish proportions and oddball looks. But, buying and driving one had a delightful payoff – it was a silent shrug-off to whatever derisive things onlookers may have thought or said about you and your vehicle.
Yes, BMW needed to move beyond the brashness of the original X6 to make the next version more likeable for the general public. So the plunging snout and squinting lamps, which contrasted so nicely with the fleshy rear-three quarters of the E71 were discarded for a jazzy riff on the X5’s bluff front end. To avoid the “droopy tail“ criticism, there is a swage line above each of the rear wheel arches, which, in conjunction with an X4-aping short-sloped roofline, make the X6 look a trifle dumpy. It’s still a head-turner, certainly, but it it’s also largely derivative.
This homogenisation would have been perfectly acceptable – the author’s design critique is, after all, subjective – had BMW reimagined its flagship X model entirely. Granted, the rear bench now offers seating for three instead of two (a pair of adults and a small child), because the X6’s raised roofline has freed up more headroom and the seatback folds forward in a 20:40:20 configuration for added loading versatility (which it needs, because the luggage area is only 75 dm3 bigger than before). Those are improvements, but unfortunately the extra rear headroom stops just short of where taller adult’s heads would land against the ‘rests. What’s more, ingress to the rear is made difficult because of the awkwardly-shaped door apertures that tend to catch your hip when you hop in. What’s more, a small child would need to be helped onto the pew if a running board is not specified.
So, is the new X6 simply a repackaging exercise for which BMW cynically charges a premium for exclusive looks and few extra bits of kit?
The lengthened and widened newcomer does impress in a variety of ways, not least because it offers levels of body control and all-wheel grip that belie its girth, height and weight. Its execution may not have the insouciance and bravado of the original (we believe Benz is working on a rival product, which means Audi won’t be far behind), but based on the BMW buzz that was created on social media platforms at the time of the launch, the “X6” nomenclature seems to have achieved cult status with some starry-eyed members of the motoring public.
Meanwhile, the newcomer’s evaluation at BMW’s Performance Centre concluded with activities such as skid pan drifting, slaloms and emergency braking manoeuvres, as well as a blast on a high-speed handling course. Unsurprisingly, the 2,2-tonne X6 proved deceptively nimble and dynamically adroit. It even coped ably (as in carefully…) with an off-road course, which included wading, electronically-controlled descents and obstacles that tested axle articulation.
Ultimately, even if its aesthetic execution is less distinctive than its predecessor’s and its practical shortcomings have been addressed only to a degree, the X6 remains a consummate coupé-inspired performance SUV with surfeit kerb appeal – whether it warrants a premium over its X5 sibling remains debatable.
