Over its long and successful years since inception, BMW has been pushing the boundaries and has become well-known for introducing new and revolutionary ideas in the automotive landscape. These ideas can often benefit and even transform the industry for the betterment of everybody else. So, when it came time for them to try something new and vastly different, BMW decided to invent an all-new category of cars, which they decided to name “Sports Activity Coupe”. And thus, the first-ever Sports Activity Coupe, the X6, was born in 2007.
As the above-mentioned term might suggest, the BMW X6 was an SUV, but with the roofline of a coupe. The BMW X6 uses the same platform that underpins the X5, but adds a more outlandish and less practical body on top of it. The 2019 BMW X6 represents only the second generation of this luxury crossover, but ever since the debut of its first-gen precursor, this is currently one of the hottest segments in the industry. In the UAE, the 2019 BMW X6 faces rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe, Porsche Cayenne, Range Rover Sport, and Volvo’s XC90.
Exterior
The intimidating, SUV-like front fascia of the 2019 BMW X6 shares some styling elements with the previous-gen X5 such as its sleek and modern headlights and the almost rectangular kidney grille. However, the X6 gets a thoroughly reworked muscular hood, well-sculpted front bumper with foglamps and a faux skid plate.
The X6’s side profile instantly reveals its forward-tilted stance and heavily-sloping roofline. Other noteworthy design elements here are the massive 20-inch rims shod with equally mammoth 315-section (rear) tires, flared fenders, a rising shoulder and beltline, and the customary plastic cladding. The rather bulky-looking rear gets some large, but sophisticated LED taillights, and a brawny bumper with an integrated pseudo skid plate and sporty-looking twin-exhaust pipes.
In terms of basic dimensions, the 2019 BMW X6 is 4.909 meters in length, 2.170 meters in width, 1.702 meters in height, and has a wheelbase of 2.933 meters. Despite its coupe-like styling, the BMW X6 has an impressive 580-liter boot.
Interior
The interior design of the 2019 BMW X6 is almost identical to that of the third-gen X5. This means that the styling isn’t as radical as the X6’s exterior shell. It also means that the cabin feels and looks premium. The material quality and general fit and finish is good, too. The seats offer excellent cushioning and support, though the sloping roof and smaller rear windows could make the back occupants feel a bit hemmed in.
What is not so bad at all is the X6’s features catalogue that includes adaptive cruise control, double-glazed windshield, power sunroof, adaptive suspension, automatic and adaptive LED headlights, heated and cooled front seats, ambient lighting, head-up display, surround-view camera with parking sensors, a Bang & Olufsen sound system, and BMW’s iDrive infotainment screen with navigation. Some of the standard safety equipment includes 8 airbags, dynamic stability and traction control, blind-spot and lane-departure warning, hill-descent control, and rollover-stability control.
Engine and performance
The 2019 BMW X6 can be had with either a 3.0-liter straight-six in the xDrive35i or a 4.4-liter turbo V8 in the xDrive50i. The former develops 306 HP and 400 Nm, while the burly eight-cylinder pushes out 450 HP and 650 Nm of torque. Both engines are mated to an 8-speed automatic slushbox and BMW all-wheel drive system with torque vectoring. If required, this 2.2-ton “Sports Activity Coupe” will fly past 100 km/h in under 5 seconds, and go on till an electronically-limited 250 km/h.
Verdict
Prices for the 2019 BMW X6 range between AED 435,000 to AED 490,000, while insurance premiums cost from AED 9,788 to AED 11,025.
