BMW’s controversial X6—what is it? Who needs it?—may not have many fans among the BMW fanatics of the BMW CCA, but it is apparently winning over certain critics from its sheer handling abilities.
Car and Driver’s Jared Gall starts their long-term road test update (
click here to read it) this way:
“Love is an inexplicable phenomenon. After all, love can make people quit stable jobs and move across the country. It can drive some to crime. Love can also force folks to commit simple evils like feigning interest in tripe, as in the film
27 Dresses, or talking in syrupy baby talk. Right now, love has the
Car and Driver crew fawning over a pointless $80,000 truck.”
And Jason Cammisa, one of
Automobile’s most entertaining writers, calls it “The Abominable Snow Van” after taking it to the white-and-slippery stuff (
click here). However, that title is belied by the report, which basically calls the X6 the best snow-goer on the planet. “I can’t wait for the opportunity to drive an X6 in the snow with appropriate winter tires,” says Cammisa. “Judging by its performance on summer tires, it’s probably the best-handling car in the world on snow.”
Meanwhile, confirming the rumors that make M-car enthusiasts twitch, BMW has engaged in a bit of viral marketing, releasing a track test of the upcoming M version of the X6 on YouTube (
it's actually kind of cool—click here).
The opening of the YouTube video features an alarming juxtaposition of the X6 and X5 with images of E28, E34, and E39 M5s as well as legendary BMW racers such as the V12 LMR Le Mans winner. A more viable project would involve stealing the twin-turbo V8 from the X6—in M form, it’s rumored to top 500 horsepower—and dropping it into the X3. At least that car has a little motorsports panache, what with the X-Raid versions of Dakar fame.—
Satch Carlson
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