► The X5 in coupe form
► With light-up grille and M version
► UK prices from £59,340
This is the new X6 M. Under the bonnet is a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 making 592bhp or 616bhp in regular or Competition format. The X6 M Competition’s launch sprint to 62mph is over with in 3.8 seconds with a limited top speed of 155mph. If you’re brave enough you can raise that to 180mph with the M Driver’s Pack.
Again, like the X5 M, there’s a maximum attack bodykit, burly sports exhaust and an M-fiddled all-wheel drive system that has its own sport mode that pushes the power bias rearward. All of that shove is handled by an eight-speed automatic. Inside, the Competition models feature bespoke leather upholstery and highly-adjustable drive mode settings; those anodised red thumb paddles first seen on the M5 feature, too.
Want an X6 M? We get the Competition model only in the UK, which is priced at £113,310.
Isn’t this basically an X5 coupe?
You’re not wrong. Just like some of the SUVs we’ve recently seen from Stuttgart, this is a ‘coupe’ version of the recently refreshed X5 – and that essentially means a near-identical front coupled with a redesigned rump, complete with plunging roofline.
As for the grille? It lights up, and the illuminations are permanently on even when the X6 is moving. BMW says it’s triggered by opening or closing the car, but it also counts as part of the X6’s daylight running system so can technically be on at all times. If that’s a touch too vulgar for you, it’s possible to turn off the feature in iDrive. Phew.
What trims are there on the new BMW X6?
The new X6 will come in three trims in the UK: Sport, M Sport and M Performance, with varying levels of kit. Sport gets adaptive two-axle air springs, M Sport adds more aggressive bodywork and a throatier exhaust system, as well as high-gloss black trinkets inside and out to make it appear sportier, if that’s your thing. The Sport gets 19-inch wheels, while the M Sport will roll on 21-inch rims. Expect more bits of dark plastic inside and outside the higher up you go.
The M Performance X6 sits at the top of the range, and includes an Adaptive M suspension, M Sport diff and uprated sound system among other bits.
What about engines?
Like the X5, the X6 will launch with four different engines: two petrol and two diesel. A 523bhp V8-powered X6 M50i tops the petrol line, while a six-cylinder inline diesel – with four turbochargers and 395bhp – is the most powerful diesel on offer.
Below those two are an xDrive40i petrol and xDrive30d diesel putting out 335bhp and 256bhp respectively.
What else?
As you’d expect, the X6 comes with all the safety features and other tech as the X5, so expect adaptive cruise, collision warning along with steering assistance with lane control capability. The car will also emergency stop if it thinks the driver is unable to control the vehicle, and it’ll eventually pull up on the hard shoulder.
The full UK specs of the new BMW X6 are as follows:
How much?
The X6 will start at £59,340 for the xDrive 30d, and rise to £60,320 for the entry-level xDrive 40i petrol. The M50d starts comes in at £74,335 while the range-topping M50i kicks off at £76,870.
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