The new BMW X6 M - First Drive impressions

Love it or hate it, there’s no denying that the BMW X6 is a special car. This could be interpreted as ‘short-bus, licking windows’ special, or special in that it evokes emotion and fires up passion.

In my opinion, the X6 is proof that a) the Germans have a sense of humour and b) BMW enthusiasts will buy anything as long as it has a roundel on it. I have never liked the shape and I feel it’s one of the most pointless creations from the Bavarian brand. Yet it sells, and pretty well too.

When BMW introduced the X6, there were concerns that it would steal thunder and sales from the popular X5 but they were well off of the mark. Sales of the X5 continued to grow and the X6’s popularity was soon on the rise to meteoric notoriety.

Then there’s the X6 M… 

Powered by a twin turbo, 4.4-litre V8, this gargantuan power plant propels the X6 M from a standstill to 100km/h in a mere 4.2-seconds. An impressive feat when you consider that these are not small vehicles, weighing in at 2265kg.

The sound emitted from the quad exit pipes is something to behold. Instantly you’re 5-years old again and blipping the down shifts and short shifting to hear the DSG-like crackle and pop from the exhausts. BMW are using the tag line: “It’s like snuggling. With a beast.” And they are not lying either.

Depress the loud pedal and things start happening very, very fast. You call on 423kW and 750Nm when you do that and with virtually unlimited traction from the Adaptive Drive assisted All-Wheel Drive system and 285 and 325-section tyres, you start to cover a lot of ground, very quickly. The large size and opulent interior neuters the sensation of speed and before you know it, you’re at speeds where silver bangles and a cell mate are in your immediate future.

The power and agility mask the fact that this is a wide and heavy SUV and it’s only when you clip an inner curb that you realise how wide it actually is. I’m not particularly fond of the driving position and found the steering to sit too high for a seating position that felt natural. Overall, the interior is spacious but you still have the tradition BMW driving experience with a cosseting layout. Naturally, there are all the bells and whistles that one could possibly want, from high-end audio, BMW Connected drive, Multi-function seats to Night Vision and rear seat entertainment – well, there was on the model that I drove. All these extras added about R262 458 to the purchase price. (Cough!)

The styling is a bone of contention for many. As mentioned, it’s a love / hate relationship. Personally, I’m not sold on the design, but when you’re driving the machine, you quickly forget about the aesthetics. In M-trim it’s outlandish with massive air dams and awkward proportions. I regard it as ostentatious, and a look that is no doubt favoured by those who want to show off their wealth. There is the saying, that money can’t buy taste. Whether this is a point in case or not, I’ll let you decide. It certainly is a left-field approach

That said, I can commend a few of the design elements that have been incorporated into the theme. The front grille sees the upright slats paired up, reminiscent of the alloy wheels found on the E46 M3. The wing mirrors, while only affixed by a single stalk, are shaped so that the top edge appears to meet up with the A-pillar, a nod to the E36 and closer in resemblance to the E92 M3. The fender vents are also a modern M-touch and are exclusive to the M-package.

The X6 M is not cheap, but they never marketed it as such. The new X6 M is a pricey affair, coming in at R1 675 500 before you’ve added the extras, which pushed mine to R1 938 958.80.