Provocation as a principle

Your own view wanders from the windshield towards the center of the dashboard. Apart from the cloudless blue sky, there is nothing left to see through the windshield. The "Frontview Camera" sends a pin sharp picture on the new 9.6 inch display. So focused on this picture and crawled over the artificial obstacle with slight corrections on the steering wheel, idling in the first of the eight gears and activated Hill Descendcontrol. The front-view camera shows it already, immediately it goes downhill again. It follows a water passage of 38 centimeters depth. Actually, you do not need them now, the frontview camera, but the pictures are spectacular: wading like a hippopotamus, the new X6 shares the tides.

Whether the buyers of the new X6 will ever leave the asphalt railways of the promenades of this world? No matter. An SUV, pardon, an SAC, must also be able to terrain. What else would the big wheels, the increased ground clearance and the active four-wheel drive be good for? They provoke this ride in the terrain course. Borders are made to transcend them.

The birthplace of the new BMW X6, the BMW plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA, is within sight. When BMW finishes its $ 1 billion investment program, this plant will produce more BMW vehicles than any other BMW plant. The number will be increased from 300.000 to 450.000 vehicles per year. Made in Germany is more of a meta-level. Production follows the market and the most important market for the growing SUV class is the USA. BMW has been producing in the USA for 20 years and the new BMW X6 will also roll off the assembly line here.

BMW's X models are a success story. And that's not because of their off-road capability. Or on the 3.5 tons that you should pull with it. The stomach beats the brain. These are the emotions of car buyers. If the purchase decision for a car would be purely rational, we would drive all station wagons with diesel engine or hybrid petrol engine. Instead, the X6 starts with its deliberately provocative form. A big SUV with the space of a four-door coupe? A four-door coupe? BMW breaks twice with the conventions and offers a class of vehicles, the utility value is far below a classic, but it is just staid station wagon.

SAC instead of SUV? SAC does not sound more emotional than SUV, but different. SUV sounds lax, drunk, and of course unsportsmanlike. The term Sports Activity Coupe should promise much more. And BMW delivers!

The BMW Performance Center within sight of the plant offers not only an off-road passage, but of course also the classic bitumen sheeting. Entertaining curve radii invite you to change direction quickly, and yet the X6 is also a great way to roam over the grass verge. And a circular path with the option of irrigation should enable controlled drift. If you overdo it on the shortest route between A and B, you will hear the friendly voice on the walkie-talkie. Only asphalt, no green stretches. But we were also “off-road”. All right then. Then just at a gallop. The hippopotamus becomes a warm-blooded animal.

Premiere of the "Provocation by design - part 2"

For the international driving presentation, journalists in Spartanburg have a choice of two engines: the 50i with its 4.4-liter bi-turbo eight-cylinder in a classic V-shape and the M50d with a classic 3-liter displacement with equally classic six cylinders in line. Less provocative engines, like those you would order from us in our leasing fleet, BMW didn't bring anything like that with them at first. Here in the USA you can still afford the right engines. No small caliber air pumps. The M50d is also the only tri-turbo diesel in the world and, with 381 hp and 740 Nm, is enviable in the forage. This can be used to make a difference. Also a 2.2 ton X6.

Invitation to the dance. The BMW X6 may drift, may drift, will drift.

Entering the circle, brief steering impulse, full throttle in fixed second gear and then a 2.2 ton SAC drifts. The six grumbles under the massive hood in the direction of the speed limit, the xDrive system works against the driver's desire by loss of grip. In order to stabilize it, it wants to prevent transverse drifting with active torque distribution, the force migrates from the disengaging rear axle to the front. At the rear, the active differential shifts the power to the inside wheel. The only thing that helps is: more gas. Stay hard on the pin. Pumping the diesel through the nozzles regardless of efficiency, then the X6 M50d pulls its laps in drift. Once. Twice. 3 times.

Driven enough. Enough slalom driven. Hard on the limit and also provokes beyond. Hardly any customer will bang over locked areas with the X6. What a pity.

Get a taste of everyday life. In the X6 50i.

The classic V8 gasoline engine makes no sense in the X6 for German conditions. Here in the US, where the gallon of fuel still costs 3.29 $, but can also live with the big petrol engine. He should also have become more economical. 22% less consumption than previously promises BMW. Time for an exit.

From the eight-lane highways, it goes off into the Nantahala National Forest Park. Winding roads, cluttered, autumn leaves and Indian summer feeling. The V8 gasoline car falls casually into the speed cellar. Out here, where the recommendations for the next curve are given as 25 mph, you do not need the 450 PS of the gasoline engine. Normally under-challenged and with barely perceptible V8 timbre one cruises in sightseeing fashion over land. The iDrive offers a little distraction and entertains where the engine does not get a chance. Lovingly animated graphics, great resolution, but still a little awkward to use.

Time to think again about the "principle of provocation".

BMW has successfully made it its own that premium customers do not buy a car for reasons of reason, but for emotional reasons. Spending more money so you have less space? Actually nonsensical. 260.000 X6 sold speak a different language. Ground clearance and still good road holding? Excessive luxury and lateral dynamics? Fulfilling this delta of wishes provokes developers. But it also offers the engineers a large playground to let off steam. And it drives them. And in the case of the X6, the whole skill is demonstrated by really good technicians. An absurd vehicle class, a 2.2 ton colossus, an SUV with less space than Grandpa Rudolf's Passat and yet it ironed on country roads, neutrally hammered through any curve radii. You have to get that regulated first. Active suspension systems are therefore a must for the X6. The chassis solutions offered are called Comfort, Dynamic or Professional. The effort is enormous. The result is impressive. Those who say goodbye to the Comfort chassis with the air suspension on the rear axle and take advantage of the Professional offer will also receive roll stabilization and adaptive dampers. Together with the active all-wheel drive, this results in the driving dynamics of the circle. And even if you proudly speak at BMW about the 2 kilograms that you have saved on the front axle alone - the X6 50i comes with at least 2.17 tons of curb weight. If you set the driving dynamics control to sport, the pounds disappear into nothing. On the winding roads in the Nantahala National Forest, the X6 is maneuvered around every curve radius with fascinating ease. And in Sport + mode, the DSC (BMW language for ESP) even allows the agent provocateur to attempt to break out easily with the rear.

Conclusion for the new BMW X6 M50d:

The new X6, as absurd as its predecessor, as intriguing as its predecessor. But not so rude provocative, because the idea to cross an SUV with a coupe, was only unusual the first time.

From the 6. December, the new BMW X6 will be on sale at its dealers. Anyone who confines himself to the basic variant signs a lease agreement for a provocation that has become at least 65.650 expensive. The 50i starts at 82.500 € and who chooses the M50d, increases at 87.300 €.

BMW X6 M50d

M sports package for the new BMW X6

Immediately after the market launch of the new BMW X6, a model-specific M sports package is also available. The dynamic character of the Sports Activity Coupé is enhanced by aerodynamically optimized body elements with large air intakes at the front, distinctive side skirts and a diffuser insert for the rear apron and a specific design of the BMW kidney with rods in matt aluminum (BMW X6 xDrive30d: black ) and tailpipes in the style of the eight-cylinder model underlined. The lower frames of the wheel arches, as well as the side skirts, are painted in body color. The M Sports package also includes the BMW Individual High-Gloss Shadow Line, 19 inch M twin-spoke light-alloy wheels and an Adaptive M suspension with specifically tuned Dynamic Damper Control and rear-axle air suspension, including automatic level control.

In addition to aluminum door sill trims bearing the M logo and the anthracite-colored BMW Individual headliner, electrically adjustable sport seats for the driver and front passenger in the leather Alcantara version, interior trim in the aluminum hexagon variant, the M leather steering wheel and an M driver's footrest provide for intensively focused on sporty driving in the interior of the new BMW X6.

In addition, a specifically designed vehicle key is part of the M Sport Package.

How the others experienced the new Nissan Pulsar:

1. Article 2 on engine talk
2. Thomas Geiger on spon
3. Peter Schwerdtmann ampnet

Galleries:

• BMW X6 50i / follows

All photos: Manufacturer

If 6: 1 is not enough for the BMW X1:
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