BMW X6 (2007): first official pictures

By Phil McNamara

First Official Pictures

16 December 2007 00:01

These are the first official pictures of the BMW X6, one of 2008’s most intriguing cars. It’s a 4x4 with a coupé body, seriously high performance engines including a 407bhp twin-tubocharged V8 and a trick diff to give it a flavour of the M division’s finest. The X6 is based on the X5's chassis and shares its wheelbase, but its around 20mm lower and has a wider track, to enhance its dynamic ability.  

It’s certainly the sportiest SUV so far. While the front end is X5 Xeroxed (aside from the aggressive lower bumper with vast air intakes), get to the windscreen pillars and the two cars go on divergent paths. That’s downwards, in the case of the X6. The roofline tumbles to a slimmer boot, with a wedgy tail. There’s a spoiler atop the rear screen, which is more sports car than SUV – and a clear nod to the X6’s performance bias. The standard wheel measures 19inches in diameter.

With the X6 being a sports activity coupé (according to BMW-speak), this is a four-seater, like the 3- or 6-series coupés. BMW claims rear headroom is ‘unusually generous for a coupé’ but that means it’s quite tight for an SUV. Although the roof tapers dramatically, compromising vertical boot space compared with a traditional SUV’s, there’s still more capacity than in a 7-series behind the rear seats, which also fold flat to swallow 1450 litres of junk. The dashboard is nigh on identical to the X5’s: the few changes include knee pads on the transmission tunnel and different trims and flourishes.

By Phil McNamara