The niche-selling, US-built X6 is the sister car to the much-coveted X5 SUV. We went to Texas to the car's global launch centre to test the high performance, range-topping X6M version.
Built in South Carolina, the X6M is a very indulgent machine that pulls no punches when it comes to luxurious, powerful motoring. The 4.4-litre V8, turbo-charged, petrol-powered beast features a silky smooth eight-speed gearbox with paddle shifts. As it is an 'M' car, you can adjust almost everything to fine-tune the five-door into a true performance machine.
On the few winding roads outside Austin the X6M cruised effortlessly without straining at the lead. While there is a huge amount of torque/pulling power available (750nm), the car can be driven slowly with ease, but when required to cruise on the highway it wants to 'sit' at 130kph, whereas most cars would want to sit at 100kph. To really explore what the car could do we went to the racetrack.
Circuit of the Americas is just outside Austin City Limits in Texas. Home to the US Grand Prix since 2012, the anti-clockwise track is quite technical and very fast. F1 cars can hit over 318kph and while the X6M is fast, we were still pleasantly surprised to manage 250kph in places.
Depending on the way you set-up the car (via two programmable 'M' buttons), you can drive like a full-on racer or let the car do most of the work for you. 0-100kph takes just over four seconds with rear-biased X-Drive (four-wheel drive). This acceleration in a conventional sports car would be very impressive, but in the X6 it feels truly rapid, when you consider it is as big and comfortable as a sitting room.
X6M is very entertaining and extremely communicative. Braking is progressive and efficient, but not brutally harsh. Under-steer, as you'd expect, happens when cornering at speed and it is caused more by asking the tyres to do too much rather than from any classic SUV body roll as X6M's body is pretty stiff. Another reason under-steer tends to happen in the X6M when cornering hard is the fact that the front tyres are that bit narrower than the rears.
X6M was a blast on the track and we got to dice with and receive some excellent tuition from BMW GT race car drivers, including ex F1 pilot Timo Glock. X6M simply gobbled up the track, thanks to beautifully crafted and supportive leather seats that can be adjusted to hug you in position.
X6M is quite unlike your average SUV, as it has 10 radiators to help keep it cool and five cooling pumps! Fuel consumption is improved by 20%, though this is unlikely to be a concern in a car that costs €172,000 in the first place. Giant air scoops in the front grille, four exhaust pipes and a rear spoiler help distinguish the M from lesser X6s.
BMW X6M is for the few with lots of cash and a serious need for high-rise speed.
X6M is a blast.
Michael Sheridan
