Warp Drive
With a central command system, fore and aft radar sensors, a talking navigation interface and motorized doors, boarding the X6 is somewhat like hopping into the Starship Enterprise.
The X6 doesn't have warp-drive, but it is twin turbocharged-- which amounts to the same thing. The 4.4 litre, direct-injected V8 fires up with a press on a button, announcing its alertness with a throaty, crackling bark, followed by a rumble that could nearly wake the neighbors.
The exhaust note is a huge part of the X6 driving experience. It gushes through the cabin and becomes very prominent when pushed. The gurgly, dirty and angry sound is always a welcome aural invasion, and you probably wished your mid-sixties muscle car sounded this mean.
The dual turbochargers operate in silence and with near-nil lag levels, though their efforts are smoothly, seamlessly felt when the rightmost pedal drops.
Of course, the turbines lay in wait when drivers are gentle and leave propulsion in the hands of a velvety, fuel-efficient V8. The result is 400 snorting German Holsteins delivered with reasonable fuel consumption once the sound effects and explosive acceleration wear off. With little luck on that front, this correspondent's mileage averaged about 16.5L / 100km.
Corners? Bring 'em on.
X6 isn't just about straight-line giggles, either. On a course, it steers and brakes like a high-performance coupe. With handling that's absolutely staggering given the overall dimensions, it's apparent that the X6 idolizes the M3.
Gears change via a lightning-quick six-speed automatic with paddle shifting and a dainty joystick-like selector lever. An advanced, high-performance version of BMW's XDrive AWD system directs power to each wheel on an individual basis, and some trick differential hardware tweaks side-to-side power delivery for the benefit of handling on any surface.
The gist? X6 is happy to feast on snowy sideroads, twisty mountain runs, high-speed corners on a track and anything in between.
In exchange for expert corner-carving services, drivers can expect an abrupt, busy ride when the going gets rough. X6 is never jarring, but the short-ish wheelbase, stiff springs and 19-inch wheels make for some interesting experiences on uneven roads.
With a central command system, fore and aft radar sensors, a talking navigation interface and motorized doors, boarding the X6 is somewhat like hopping into the Starship Enterprise.
 |
| The result is 400 snorting German Holsteins delivered with reasonable fuel consumption. |
The X6 doesn't have warp-drive, but it is twin turbocharged-- which amounts to the same thing. The 4.4 litre, direct-injected V8 fires up with a press on a button, announcing its alertness with a throaty, crackling bark, followed by a rumble that could nearly wake the neighbors.
The exhaust note is a huge part of the X6 driving experience. It gushes through the cabin and becomes very prominent when pushed. The gurgly, dirty and angry sound is always a welcome aural invasion, and you probably wished your mid-sixties muscle car sounded this mean.
The dual turbochargers operate in silence and with near-nil lag levels, though their efforts are smoothly, seamlessly felt when the rightmost pedal drops.
Of course, the turbines lay in wait when drivers are gentle and leave propulsion in the hands of a velvety, fuel-efficient V8. The result is 400 snorting German Holsteins delivered with reasonable fuel consumption once the sound effects and explosive acceleration wear off. With little luck on that front, this correspondent's mileage averaged about 16.5L / 100km.
Corners? Bring 'em on.
X6 isn't just about straight-line giggles, either. On a course, it steers and brakes like a high-performance coupe. With handling that's absolutely staggering given the overall dimensions, it's apparent that the X6 idolizes the M3.
Gears change via a lightning-quick six-speed automatic with paddle shifting and a dainty joystick-like selector lever. An advanced, high-performance version of BMW's XDrive AWD system directs power to each wheel on an individual basis, and some trick differential hardware tweaks side-to-side power delivery for the benefit of handling on any surface.
The gist? X6 is happy to feast on snowy sideroads, twisty mountain runs, high-speed corners on a track and anything in between.
In exchange for expert corner-carving services, drivers can expect an abrupt, busy ride when the going gets rough. X6 is never jarring, but the short-ish wheelbase, stiff springs and 19-inch wheels make for some interesting experiences on uneven roads.
 |
| X6 is happy to feast on snowy roads, twisty mountain, high-speed corners on a track and anything in between. |