BMW, along with other German manufacturers who have long set the benchmark for building cars, are under constant attack from Japanese, Korean and American companies who basically copy what they do, undercut them on price, and produce decent vehicles that are getting better each year.
– #Quiz360: Win dinner for two at Media Rotana
But the truth is that marques like BMW are always one step ahead and keep a reasonable distance between what they produce and their cheaper rivals.
Every time they bring out a new or revised model you can guarantee that it will be significantly better than its predecessor, and having owned four BMWs, two 325is, one M3 and an X5 I speak from experience. They were all brilliant.
However, there is one BMW that never really did it for me and that is the X6 because, frankly, it looked like something that had just driven off the set of a Mad Max film.
It was certainly distinctive but for me it was just plain ugly. It was like the black sheep of the family, born without the good looks of its relatives and had grown up to be an eccentric with a bad attitude. I had no desire to drive or own one, but plenty of other people did and it has proved to be an exceptionally successful SUV.
So I was fascinated to see whether the latest version of the X6 would change my view and it didn’t take long for me to realise that although automotive aesthetics are increasingly important, you should never truly judge a car on its looks, unless it is truly hideous, because like most other BMWs this is one impressive piece of kit.
It still looks like it has overdosed on steroids but the design has been tweaked and it is now more refined with sharper features that add sleekness without losing its extrovert appearance which has obviously become part of its appeal.
The front has the appearance of a luxury coupe with the long bonnet, x-shaped contour lines of the bumper, matt-silver underbody protector and the signature kidney grille, and stylish headlights giving it an athletic but aggressive stance.
The sidelines are refined although I still dislike the general wedge shape and the rear adds to its bulky look. The aerodynamics have been improved by optimising airflow and it is also significantly lighter than its predecessor which cuts fuel consumption and adds agility to what is still a large vehicle.
But the real joy of this car, like all BMWs, is the driving experience. The interior is fabulously luxurious and spacious with quality heavy-stitched leather, wood veneers and a multitude of optional trims to suite all tastes.
The digital instrument cluster uses what is called Black Panel Technology where you only see the dials and information needed at any particular time once the engine has been started.
When you hit the ignition button you get the basic instruments of fuel gauge, oil temperature, speedo and rev counter but other information is fed into the display when needed or selected.
It also changes colour depending what mode you drive this car in; eco pro, comfort, sport or sport+.
Put it into the sport modes and the display turns a pleasing shade of red. There is also a large infotainment screen, resembling an iPad, which sits at the middle of the dash.
The X6 is available with a variety of engines but our test vehicle was the xDrive 50i which has the latest, more fuel efficient, version of the 4.4-litre twin turbo V8 which has 450bhp and torque of 650nm, making this machine extremely potent.
It delivers that power to the all-wheel-drive system via an eight-speed automatic gearbox with paddle-shifts on the steering wheel.
Put you foot down in sport or sport+ mode and this beast flexes its muscles and delivers astonishing acceleration with a 0-100kmh time of 4.8 seconds with a delightful soundtrack from that V8 adding to the pleasure.
Apart from the performance, all the driver assists you could imagine, and the brilliant chassis and suspension technology which makes this car incredibly versatile, this is a fabulously comfortable vehicle to travel in.
Has it changed my view of the X6? Well, yes it has. I still don’t like the shape but it’s lighter, faster, handles superbly, and ticks all the boxes on comfort and space.
As far as I’m concerned, it definitely has the X-Factor.
Verdict
You either love or hate the X6, depending on whether you are a fan of the wedge shape, but that apart this is a fantastic vehicle which is extremely hard to fault.
This X6 is incredibly powerful and the twin-turbo engine is magnificent. With a claimed 22 per cent drop in average fuel consumption on the last generation of this powerplant you really do have the best of both worlds. It’s impressive.
