2008 BMW X6-Series xDrive35i AWD 4dr
Trim Info:
15 mpg city / 20 mpg hwy
Estimated Mileage
Miles
accurate info about this vehicle
Expert Reviews
November 3, 2009 By Aaron Gold, DriverSide Contributor
BMW calls the 2009 X6 the first Sports Activity Coupe -- never mind that Subaru created something similar in the Outback SUS or that coupes traditionally have two doors. Semantics aside, the X6 is unique in today's market. Despite its all-wheel-drive system and the big, brawny shadow it casts, the X6 was designed to be a purely on-road machine - just check out its tires, which are low profile and very, very wide. The X6 offers a choice of six- or eight-cylinder power, both with twin turbochargers, and an innovative suspension and rear differential electronics that bring fast driving and safe driving together in physics-defying, exhaust-blatting, tire-squealing harmony.
The butch styling is brilliant, the big trunk makes it as practical as an old Honda Civic hatchback, and both engines are simply fantastic. And then there's the fact that it drives like a car -- not just any car, mind you, but a BMW.
Big power and big weight means big fuel consumption, and the racy profile means most adults will find limited headroom in the back seat (assuming they don't knock themselves out on the low roofline while trying to get in).
DriverSide Driving Impressions
The X6 really does drive almost exactly like a sports sedan. We say "almost" because the steering has a very slight SUV-like on-center dead spot. But in our mix of open freeway, backcountry roads and wet and dry racetracks, we found that the X6 basically goes, turns and stops like a proper BMW. Thanks to the Dynamic Performance Control rear differential, the X6's electronic stability control system is less reliant on the brakes, which makes spirited driving with the electronic nanny switched on much more enjoyable.
The X6 xDrive35i comes with BMW's twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six, while the xDrive50i packs a new twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8, both mated to a 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters. The 306 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque of the six moves the X6's bulk with authority, while the V-8's 407 and 442 numbers pull harder, respond quicker, and sound better, though it tends to jerk occupants' heads backwards when starting out. A small price to pay for such brute power. Both engines though tend to display an admirable absence of turbo lag, which is a huge plus.
The Dynamic Performance Control rear differential is based on a BMW patent from 1928, but it was only with the advent of computer control that BMW could really put the system to good use. By fitting a planetary gear set to both rear wheels, DPC can actually cause one rear wheel to spin faster than the other, even if the driver lifts off the gas. This differential allows the electronic stability control system to correct oversteer with less use of the wheel brakes by simply accelerating the inside rear wheel. In other words, the system helps create a better drive.
Along with the standard Dynamic Performance Control system, the X6 offers optional Active Steering, which quickens the steering ratio during aggressive driving, and Adaptive Drive, which alters anti-roll bar and shock absorber stiffness based on conditions. These technologies make a noticeable difference in the way the X6 drives; they gave us the ability to better control the X6 on slick pavement or when simply banging through the curves.
The X6 includes a plethora of technologies to increase its efficiency, from direct fuel injection to Brake Energy Regeneration, which attempts to charge the battery only when the driver lifts off the accelerator. Still, the X6 is a fast car that weighs two and a half tons. BMW has not released EPA fuel economy figures; they estimate numbers in the high teens, but we averaged just 14 MPG in the V-8-powered X6.
Interior
The X6's dash is virtually identical to the X5's, including the love-it-or-hate-it iDrive dial controller with redundant buttons for climate and some stereo functions. Leather upholstery is standard; front seats are comfortable but back seat headroom is limited and even short folks must duck under the roof to get in.
Styling is one of the X6's best features. The coupe-like roofline and tough-looking all-wheel-drive stance make it an imposing vehicle, while familiar cues like the twin-kidney grille mean there's no mistaking who makes this car. By far, this is one of the best-looking BMWs in years.
The X6 xDrive35i starts at $53,275, while the xDrive50i is priced at $63,775; options can add $20,000 or more to that price. As for market segment, the X6 is forging its own path. Part SUV and part sports sedan, we expect the X6 will pull buyers from both camps.
In a world of look-alike sedans and SUVs, the X6 is refreshingly unique. It is great to drive, has a high cool quotient, and is actually quite practical for cargo, if not passengers. Lousy fuel economy, limited back-seat headroom and a high price limit its appeal, but we think the X6 will be a hit to both die-hard Bimmer fans and neophytes alike.
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2008 BMW X6 Pricing Announced – 2008 BMW X6 Pricing AnnouncedBMW will offer two models of its X6 "Sports Activity Coupe," the xDrive35i and xDrive50i. The xDrive35i features BMW's 300-hp, twin-turbocharged in-line six engine and has a base price of $54,000. Buyers with a little mor Source: www.automobilemag.com
2009 BMW X6, Part One [Jalopnik Reviews] – The 2009 BMW X6 isn't great on a racetrack. This thought occurs during my third lap when I realize — the throttle wide open, exiting a corner at 100mph — this may not be the best sports car out there. My next thought is "But this is a 4, Source: feeds.gawker.com
First Drive: 2008 BMW X6 – BMW's latest niche vehicle is new take on the old SAV Source: www.motortrend.com
2009 BMW X6 Review – To understand the new X6, you must go back a few years to the 2001 X Coupe Concept. This was the first time the world got a look at BMW's vision of a jacked-up sports car that "deliberately questioned existing preconceptions." Nothing wha Source: www.thetruthaboutcars.com
Quick Drive: 2008 BMW X6 xDrive 35i – More Hot and Sweaty X6 Action Source: www.motortrend.com
First Drive: 2009 BMW X6 xDrive35i and xDrive50i – Filed under: Coupes, Crossovers/CUVs, BMW, DrivingClick above for high-res gallery of the 2009 BMW X6I must be missing the gene that makes high-riding vehicles appealing to so many other people. As a car enthusiast and an engineer, I can certainly ap Source: feeds.autoblog.com
BMW X6 starts at $53,275: – BMW's newest small ute, the X6 "sport activity coupe" will start at $53,275 when it arrives in showrooms this summer. Source: www.autoweek.com
2008 BMW X6 – 2008 BMW X6Okay, so get this: We've been laughing at BMW for years because of its insistence on calling the X5 an SAV. That's Sports Activity Vehicle. It's funny because the X5 is, by anyone else's definition, an SUV. Sport Utility Vehicle.Why "activ Source: www.automobilemag.com
2009 BMW X6 xDrive35i – 2009 BMW X6 xDrive35iNow that I've spent some time in the X6, I still don't quite know what to make of it. When BMW introduced the X5, the notion of an SUV with good steering feel, a well-controlled ride, good body control, and an overtly sporty powe Source: www.automobilemag.com
BMW X6 to Get â��Mâ�� Treatment? – Though it’s still unclear if it would be dubbed the X6 M or something more convoluted like the X6 xDrivei50 High Performance, this lightly-clad BMW mule would seem to be an upcoming speedy version of the new CUV. The hardcore X6 is slated to a twin Source: feeds.feedburner.com
Bimmer Forum – Interact with the BMW community on the forums. Source: www.bimmerforums.com
BMW X6M Spotted? – Crossovers aren’t really our thing. The half-car/half SUV mutants tend to be about as Fiendish as another failed amalgamation—the spork. Still, there’s something about BMW’s X6 that rubs our motoring spine the right way. The looks are all bu Source: www.autofiends.com
Spy Shots: BMW X6 ActiveHybrid – Thar she blows! Kidding. But she does have a hump (just not like a snow hill). Look right on top of the hood. That M3-style power bulge is (presumably) there to house all the extra hybrid components. According to BMWblog the X6 ActiveHybrid will not Source: www.autofiends.com
In The Autoblog Garage: BMW X6 XDrive 35i – Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage, SUVs, Crossovers/CUVs, BMW Click above for high-res gallery of the BMW X6 XDrive 35i You know things have gone awry when BMW now offers three different flavors of non-cars, all of them antithetical to the Bavarian Source: feedproxy.google.com
