The crossover conundrum: representing two mutually exclusive
qualities, the functional convenience of a utility vehicle and the nimbleness
of a sports sedan.
It’s a precarious balance that often makes a vehicle a jack of both
trades, yet master of none.
When it came time for BMW — which marks the 40th anniversary
of being “The Ultimate Driving Machine” this year — to tackle the oddity
that is the crossover vehicle, you can be damn sure which way it’ll tip the
scale.
In fact, the Bavarian automaker made no illusions to where
it stood on the matter, ditching “SUV” and “CUV” altogether for a more fitting
segment of its own creation: the Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV).
The result? A car that defies convention. Add a heaping of M
division magic and you get the X6 M: a vehicle that bends your perception of
reality.
M Performance graduate
The 2015 BMW X6 M is one of two cars in the X lineup to
graduate from BMW’s M performance branch, the other being the X6’s mechanical
twin, the X5. It comes packed with a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 that produces 567
horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. All this feeds to the M-tuned xDrive
all-wheel drive system via an eight-speed steptronic automatic transmission.
This second generation X6 M takes everything from the
previous version — its style, engine output, fuel efficiency, and performance
dynamics –and raises the bar even higher.
While the X5 M carries forward the utilitarian spirit of an
SUV, the X6 M distinguishes itself with a sloping fastback-style roofline,
indicating straightaway that performance is its purpose. The front-end sports a
menacing fascia with an abundance of wide breathing cavities designed for
cooling the beastly powerhouse. This, with its bulging musculature, makes the
X6 M looks like a vehicle that would be suitable for the most elite of Darth
Vader’s storm troopers. BMW’s distinctive kidney grille houses the M-specific
double bars, while the large intakes below pack flaps that reduce lift.
X6 M looks like a vehicle that would be suitable for the
most elite of Darth Vader’s storm troopers.
Interior quality of the X6 M carries forward the BMW promise
of luxury as well as sport. Every touchpoint across the cabin has a rugged
elegance, from the Marino leather seats to the Nappa leather dashboard, all
accented with aluminum trim and carbon-fiber panel inlays.
When I slid into the driver’s seat to take the X6 M on
the road, the sport intentions of the seats were apparent, being more stiff
than comfortable. The multiple points of adjustment evened things out, however.
Just as the car is monstrous on the outside, so seems the steering wheel and
gauge display. They both seem so disproportionately big to the rest of the
interior. This doesn’t detract at all from their functionality.
Dynamic, above all else
BMWs are notorious for the myriad ride adjustment settings
that can be made, allowing drivers to customize the engine response, steering,
and suspension. Even in full comfort, cruising feels solid yet not so stiff as
to feel unforgivingly harsh. The X6 M just continues as if on a steady track,
not relenting to anybody roll and also absorbing any cabin-disturbing bumps
along the way.
That’s not to say the X6 M can’t gallop when spurred. Even
at its most sedate, the car cooks up some sprinting power and streaks steadily
across the interstate. The vehicle’s untapped potential just felt limited, even
by the wide margins the 80 mph speed limit of this particular stretch of Texas
highway allowed. The X6 M demanded a chance to show me what it could do, and
that wasn’t going to be answered on the road; it was going to be answered on
the track.
Austin’s Circuit of the Americas is a track purpose-built
for Formula 1, intended specifically to return the sport to the U.S. since its
departure in 2007. The key-shaped 3.4-mile course is a series of hairpins,
S-curves with a multi-apex, high-speed bend, and two straightaways — the
longest of which can allow an F1 racer to reach 200 mph. Finding myself about
to tackle it from behind the wheel of a crossover, BMW or not, felt like an
exercise in absurdity.
With M Dynamic Mode engaged, any concerns that this would
perform like an SUV were quickly banished.
Yet with Sport+ dialed up and M Dynamic Mode engaged, the X6
M kicked up towards the steep incline of turn 1, and any concerns that this
would perform like an SUV were quickly banished.
M division fitted its own set of twin scroll turbochargers
to the 4.4-liter packed under the hood of the X6 M. This, as well as some other
tweaks, gives the car a broad, more usable torque range between 2,200 to 5,000
rpms. The X6 M launches from 0 to 60 in a flat 4.0 seconds, and in the sprint
to the first corner, it doesn’t feel like I’ve reached a fraction of the
car’s potential. Beyond the first hairpin is a rapid downhill run that breaks
into a wide right-hander towards the S-curves. This plummet was to be the
first test of how much I had to believe in the X6 M’s capabilities.
The car’s body roll was seemingly nil as it bore the
weight on its left while accelerating quickly toward the winding curves. As it
rocked through them to the next set of turns, the X6 M never got in the way of
itself. The xDrive all-wheel drive system can split the torque
100 percent back or forward on the fly, and due to electronically
actuated multi-clutch packs, the car can shift the torque as needed to reduce
or eliminate understeer. I could almost carve bends with a sports car’s poise,
flicking through gears as the head-up display let me nail perfect
upshifts.
Opening up on the long straight emulated the sensation I
felt on the highway. Here, however, the only restriction in place was the
length of the track ahead. With instant power on demand, I reached 140 mph with
ease, and I could feel the vehicle continue to climb effortlessly as my
attention was fixed on the hard braking ahead.
With a slight shimmy, the six-piston fixed front calipers
and single-piston floating rear calipers bit down hard, firmly bringing the X6
M down in speed, readying to fire up into the next set of high-speed bends.
The X6 M did it. It did everything I expected and more.
With every lap I gave further trust to the vehicle, braking later and
giving the X6 M a chance to hold on through turns. For every moment I thought I
wouldn’t stop in time, or for every corner I felt I’d overshot, the BMW swept
me up and pulled through. Was I in a crossover? I had forgotten. At this point
I was in a sports car and all that mattered was going faster.
The X6 M kept going until the tires gave way to a day’s
worth of abuse. For all it had done, the BMW could’ve kept going for more. Its
cooling system kept the car from showing any indication of overheating. The
brakes worked just as well for run after run. The X6 shrugged the track off and
could just as easily be ready to drive home, if not for more rings
around the circuit.
M5 beater?
As impressed as I was, I was still left with the mystery of
the sport activity vehicle unanswered. BMW set upon building an SUV that
handled like a sports sedan and boy did it succeed to an impressive degree.
Yet, regardless of how “activity” replaced “utility” in its mission, the
vehicle inherently purports to be something more capable than a sedan.
It’s in this case where it wavers, since the sloped rear
glasshouse makes the capacity beyond the front seats nothing of which to be
boastful. Yes, its ride height and all-wheel drive would handle adverse conditions,
but anything outside of mild rain or snow would most likely be cause for
concern. After all, this is a running shoe, not a hiking boot.
The X6 M starts at $103,050 and my test vehicle totaled
$117,050 — the Bang & Olufsen sound system and other options upped the
bottom line. If you want a car that staggers in its capability, yet equally
befuddles in its purpose to exist, the X6 M is the vehicle for you. But if
you’re willing to pay a six-figure sum for a BMW with a 4.4-liter twin-turbo
that delivers on the promise of the BMW M Sport sedan experience without any
pretense, opt for the M5.
Highs
Astounding sports car performance in a beastly package
Top-notch cabin suitable for luxury and performance
Stylish, intimidating presence
Lows
Great wannabe sedan, not-so-great SUV
Minimal cargo space
Will be the ire of taller rear passengers
source: http://www.digitaltrends.com/car-reviews/2015-bmw-x6-m-review/
by Alexander Kalogianni
http://www.boscheuropean.com
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