Is BMW's X6 Just The Wrong Vehicle At The Wrong Time?
Agent009 submitted on 9/18/2008 Official Bell & Ross Timestamp: 12:36:38 PM
90 user comments | Category: Misc News | Source: | SOURCE: www.businessweek.com
Just to get the basics out of the way, I am not a fan of BMWs new X6.
It's too big too late too gas-hungry, and too expensive. It's also ugly. In this era of downsizing to save on gasoline, it stands out like a sumo wrestler at a yoga retreat. New for the '08 model year, the X6 is an all-wheel-drive crossover vehicle designed to combine the high-off-the-ground seating of a sport-utility vehicle with the driving characteristics of a sports car. You'd think designers would have made it smaller, nimbler, and more fuel-efficient than the BMW X5 SUV, with which it shares a platform. Instead, the X6 is an inch longer (at 192 in.) and two inches wider (at 78 in.). At around 5,000 lb., the X6 is also almost as heavy as the X5. The big difference is that its roofline is three inches lower than the X5's at its peak point, and curves down dramatically in the back.
The main problem with the X6 is that it only seats a maximum of four—two up front and two in the bucket-style backseats—vs. a maximum of seven for the X5 and Volkswagen's Audi Q7, and five for Nissan's Infiniti FX50 and Porsche's Cayenne. In keeping with one of the more inane marketing trends among German manufacturers, BMW calls the X6 a "coupe," even though it's essentially an SUV with four doors (plus a rear hatch). Traditionally, coupes are supposed to be smaller than sedans and only have two doors—but, never mind. Coupes have a sporty image, and tradition mustn't get in the way of a marketing gimmick.
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