BMW X6 Test Drive: Gene Games
Test Drive

BMW X6 Test Drive: Gene Games

Introducing the next generation of the pioneer SUV-Coupe

And the BMW X6 has already made history, and with it its experimental forms of the coupe and SUV symbiosis have matured. The new model already exists autonomously, which is not the result of genetic recombination.

When BMW designers created models from the so-called "Neue Klasse" 57 years ago, they not only achieved great success and helped to revive the company, but also created, like a time bomb, a constant technological challenge for their successors.

It was the "New Class" that laid the foundation for the dynamic nature of the Bavarian company, which generations of designers had to follow closely. Yes, but building a dynamic sedan or coupe is one thing, building a 1,7m high car like the new X6, following the BMW philosophy, is a real engineering puzzle.

Eight years after the first X5 SUV, its extravagant second-generation crossover coupe was launched. The X6 was born. Recognizable for its teardrop shape, it has become an iconic model for the brand, which has also become the basis for the development of new technological solutions, such as the only remaining hybrid in the dual-mode range or an active rear differential. The second generation, which hit the market in 2015, took on more contoured shapes and showed its dynamics with a much lower dose of arrogance.

BMW X6 Test Drive: Gene Games

And here we have the third generation of the model made of flesh and blood. Like its predecessors, it is manufactured in the USA. Finally, mounted on the ubiquitous CLAR platform, the X6 can now take full advantage of its benefits.

The 26mm length and 15mm width themselves, combined with the 44mm front track, 42mm wheelbase and 6mm lower roofline, provide a solid geometric foundation for a more dynamic appearance.

Appearance

The new stylistic essence of the BMW brand is embodied in bold new dynamic messages such as the large kidney-shaped grilles with powerful transverse three-dimensional elements. This element is a key element in the design of all new models of the brand, and closing the grilles with aerodynamic louvres gives them a completely different character when the car is stationary - in fact, the only time you can look at it.

For the first time in the X6, the backlight is integrated into the grille, which has its own characteristics here. Speaking of aerodynamics, after testing in a wind tunnel, the X6 body produced an incredible coefficient of 0,32. Here, aerodynamics and style are in a very strong symbiosis - an example of this are the openings for the "air curtains" of the wheels, which have become dynamic elements of the body.

The new X6 shows much more maturity in the model's most salient feature, the roofline, which slopes more smoothly towards the rear and better harmonizes with the lower windowline, which rises proportionately.

BMW X6 Test Drive: Gene Games

The rear part differs from the rest of the line by the name X - except, of course, the analogue X4, whose stylistic signature is clearly visible. If desired, the design can be personalized with the optional xLine and M Sport packages, which add more elements of solidity (with floor protection) and sportiness, respectively, thanks to the different shape and volume of the areas under the headlights and taillights.

Dynamics

To match the dynamics of the X6 with the overall radiance of its exterior, the designers have used a full arsenal of possible technological solutions. It's amazing how a car with a curb weight of about 2,3 tons moves so deftly in corners and maintains such an accurate trajectory.

With active anti-roll bars, adaptive dampers, electronically locked rear differential, adaptive steering, high-speed dual transmissions, air suspension and oversized tires, driving this car becomes a surreal experience in which the expected acceleration seems to be driven by some kind of supernatural forces. ...

Even without this equipment, the car retains extremely dynamic qualities thanks to a good basis laid down in the complex kinematics of the suspension, a torsion-resistant platform with a long wheelbase and a relatively low center of gravity for such a car. Achieving the latter is indeed a difficult engineering challenge.

BMW X6 Test Drive: Gene Games

In this context, it seems a little odd to offer an xOffroad package that includes floor suspension elements in addition to air suspension, but it will probably find its fans as well. The world is big, people are different. Probably because the X5 itself is moving in that direction to some extent.

What you in any case will not miss if you choose this car is the power. The petrol range includes a three-liter six-cylinder xDrive40i with 340 hp. and a new eight-cylinder 4,4-liter with 530 hp. for X6 M50i.

Unlike some of its competitors, BMW has no intention of phasing out its diesel engines - perhaps because they are at the forefront of technology and in no way pollute the environment more than gasoline cars, and their carbon dioxide levels are too low, by far below.

The X6 xDrive30d's 265-litre engine has 50 hp, while the monstrous unit with the same displacement and four turbochargers that powers the M 400d has around 760 hp. and XNUMX Nm.

Conclusion

The X6 is aimed at people for whom the limited functionality of the X5 is less important than a look that offers powerful dynamics. This design format already has a life of its own.

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