We’ve heard of niches, but come on – an SUV coupe? Sounds a bit roast beef with ice cream to us. But from June 2008, that’s what BMW has in store. The X6 is the latest addition to the maker’s SUV portfolio of X3 and X5, which is already the best-selling premium line-up in Europe. The X5 3.0d is, surprisingly BMW’s third best-selling single model outright.
The new X6 isn’t meant to be a mass-seller (no surprises there), but a stylish alternative to the X5 upon which it’s derived. Think of it as an off-road, 4x4 6-Series, they say. But is that too much for the motoring public to get their heads around, we say…
I can’t get my head around the new BMW X6!
Wait until you see it to complete the brain-scramble. It’s slightly larger than an X5, pumped up and bulging like Floyd Mayweather – but has a roofline that, from above the driver’s head, falls rearwards like it’s been squashed by a huge thumb. Yet still the bootlid is adult chest height. It’s undeniably dramatic, but with time, the bug-like stance grows on you, making conventional SUVs look boxy and twee.
The X6 is bound to create a hullabaloo, but we predict that in a year’s time the storm will have passed and other makers will be scrambling to follow suit. Remember Chris Bangle’s much derided ‘flame surfacing’ design mantra?
Inside, the cabin takes its cues from the X5 up front, so the seat is still set high (that’s why people buy ‘em) but having just two, individual rear bucket seats is more controversial. This is a huge car that can accommodate just four people – and tall adults will feel cramped in the back. The last car to attempt something similar was the ill-fated Renault Avantime…
By Richard Aucock
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