Seemingly in light of all this, the folks at BMW are touting the X6 as a "sports activity coupe." But please - even with a racy fastback roof line, a four-door crossover SUV is not a coupe. But with its relatively meager cargo capacity, inability to transport more than four and a bulky body that weighs nearly a thousand pounds more than a Caddy DTS, what's the point? Of course, it's wonderful to drive - it's a BMW after all, so it's fast and handles like a sport sedan. Sadly, we also have to wonder about the raison d'être for the 2008 BMW X6. But for everyone else, we'd suggest looking elsewhere.Įver wonder why some things exist? Wisdom teeth, the duck-billed platypus, Paula Abdul as a judge on American Idol. For those willing to fork over considerably more dough for a midsize crossover that's still smaller than the average midsize SUV, the 2008 BMW X6 might make sense. The Range Rover Sport, as well as the Porsche Cayenne S, are priced comparably, but both have more of an SUV look and lack the X6's lower profile. We're hard-pressed to find direct competitors for the X6 save for the '09 Infiniti FX50, which also offers coupelike styling, V8 power and sporty handling - starting at a few thousand dollars less than the six-cylinder X6. And for that price premium, you get less rear passenger room and cargo space than the X5. The X6 starts in the mid-$50,000 range, with the V8 version starting at $8,500 more than the V8-powered X5 4.8i. If the BMW X6's weight doesn't shock you, the sticker just might. And it's probably just as well with a curb weight of nearly 5,300 pounds for the V8 version, the X6 needs the power. Right now, this is the only BMW you can get with the twin-turbo V8. It makes 400 horsepower (just a bit shy of what the new M3 puts out) and a beefy 450 pound-feet of torque that peaks as early as 1,750 rpm and doesn't waver until 4,500 rpm. Perhaps most significant is the X6's new, optional 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8. The all-wheel-drive X6 shares the same platform as the X5, with some major differences. Underneath the crossover's controversial styling lies the capable, athletic handling BMW is known for. And just to clear up any potential confusion: Yes, BMW is calling the X6 a coupe, but that's just pure marketing, as it really does have four doors. And now that the crossover has found its way into the lineup of practically every marque in the auto industry, the German automaker steps up to bat with the X6, a four-passenger "Sports Activity Coupe" that BMW hopes will entice customers looking for the superior handling of a sport sedan with the space and functionality of an SUV. But when the tide turned and the market clamored for scaled-down utility, BMW was ready with the nimble X3. Like a fashionable latecomer to a cocktail party, the German automaker launched the BMW X5 a few years into the SUV craze. In the past, BMW didn't exactly rush in to follow the trend toward larger, more family-friendly vehicles.
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