RE: Facelifted BMW X5 and X6 M

RE: Facelifted BMW X5 and X6 M

Thursday 30th October 2014

Facelifted BMW X5 and X6 M

M Division's SUV pair now more powerful, more efficient and (a little) less offensive



Has it really been five years since the X5 and X6 M were released on the world? Apparently so, meaning its time for the mid-life refresh, an LA show debut and a fresh outpouring of vitriol from M purists.

How to split 'em? Numberplates...
How to split 'em? Numberplates...
Both X5 (the 'Sports Activity Vehicle') and X6 (the 'Sports Activity Coupe') now feature the same styling tweaks as their non-sporting counterparts along with a few M accoutrements. See the big air intakes at the front, the signature M mirrors and four exhausts plus 20-inch wheels. Notice too how the X6 M looks a little softer than before. Clearly inspired by the X4, it just seems less brazen and unabashed without one clear identifying reason for it. Odd.

There are significant changes for both cars under the skin too. Power from the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 is up to 575hp from 560 and torque is raised by 52lb ft to 553lb ft. With a new eight-speed M Steptronic auto and launch control (really), both X5 and X6 M can reach 62mph in 4.2 seconds. Changing from six to eight gears improves efficiency as well, fuel consumption up to 25.5mpg (from 20.3mpg) and CO2 down to 258g/km. BMW claims a range increase of 26 per cent to 475 miles with an identically sized tank.

Nordschleife road trip anyone?
Nordschleife road trip anyone?
In amongst the discussion of 'optimum temperature management' and M-specific Servotronic steering is a very interesting subsection titled 'An open door to controlled drifts'. How exciting.

The xDrive all-wheel drive has a rear-biased focus anyway but the DSC has been recalibrated to 'improve driving dynamics further still'. The M Dynamic Mode of that 'allows greater wheel slip - to give keen driver the chance to execute some mild drifts'. Need more on your track day? Fully deactivating the DSC 'gives the driver the chance to fully explore the car's dynamic limits on the track and nudge the car into power oversteer (i.e a drift) using the accelerator'. Best leave plenty of space for that. A nice touch though.

The two cars you see here are in two new exclusive M colours, Long Beach Blue and Donington Grey. As always the full roster of BMW Individual options will be offered if a prospective customer finds the standard X5 and X6 M a little meek. Don't forget the M Laptimer app can be synced to the the iDrive too.

Ready for the price? An X5 M will cost £90,170 and the X6 £93,070, with the cars arriving in BMW dealers next April. As well as the Range Rover Sport SV-R, the new M SUVs will have a revised Porsche Cayenne Turbo to compete with too. Political incorrectness has never been so fast.









 

Author
Discussion

PhantomPH

Original Poster:

4,043 posts

224 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
quotequote all
That X6M actually looks quite good. Sorry. I know, I know...but it does.

fastgerman

1,911 posts

194 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
quotequote all
Very offended by both

parabolica

6,703 posts

183 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
quotequote all
PhantomPH said:
That X6M actually looks quite good. Sorry. I know, I know...but it does.
In typical BMW fashion I absolutely hated the way the X6 looked when it came out; now I find myself lusting after one. Same with every other Bangle-era model before it. Apart from the new 1 series; that still looks awkward IMO, although the old one grew on me so check back in around a year from now and I'll probably have one on my driveway hehe

Zod

35,295 posts

257 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
quotequote all
This isn't a mid-life refresh. These are the new models. Get it right PH.

They are also not proper M cars. They X5 M is a nice, fast, SUV, but not an M car. The X6 M is an X6, so pointless as far as I'm concerned, except for the fact that people want X6s, so BMW is sensible to make them.

kambites

67,462 posts

220 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
quotequote all
Monstrously ugly, but I'm sure exceptionally competent if you like this sort of thing.

I suppose you can't see the outside from the drivers' seat. smile

hornetrider

63,161 posts

204 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
quotequote all
The X6M is a 'Sports Activity Coupe'... with 4 doors wobble

chrispmartha

15,361 posts

128 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
quotequote all
I realise i'm in a minority but i really like how the current BMWs look. At least they are different! a lot of cars tend to look the same. The interiors are also very vey nice.

365daytonafan

283 posts

184 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
quotequote all
Being pedantic these are not mid life refreshes but new cars on the F15/F16 X5 and X6 platforms. They replace the previous X5M and X6M's built on the E70/71 platform.

lee,m

9 posts

207 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
quotequote all
fastgerman said:
Very offended by both
Would you care to enlighten us, each to there own and all that but whats not to like about monstorously powerful suv/4x4s that will cater for kids/bikes/dogs/tip trips etc

One days these petrol v8s etc will not be around, enjoy them whilst we can!!

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
quotequote all
Can you imagine your tyre bill if you took either of these to a track day!!

i reckon you'd wreck well over a grands worth of tyres in about 3 laps.........

Triumph Man

8,670 posts

167 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
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Remember that facelift thread where nobody seemed to understand what was and what was not a facelift? It would seem the writers at PH are not immune...

g3org3y

20,606 posts

190 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
quotequote all
Article said:
There are significant changes for both cars under the skin too. Power from the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 is up to 575hp from 560 and torque is raised by 52lb ft to 553lb ft. With a new eight-speed M Steptronic auto and launch control (really), both X5 and X6 M can reach 62mph in 4.2 seconds.
Blimey, that's some impressive performance. Quicker than an E92 M3.

EGTE

996 posts

181 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
quotequote all
Are they not still hideous, bloated, over-complicated, over-weight, over-sized, reverse-tardis off-road-incapable show-off-mobiles like the old ones, then?

Still deeply offended by these.

Esseesse

8,969 posts

207 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
quotequote all
Horrible, needlessly fussy faces and detailing all over the car. frown

I liked the E70/71 X5 (for an X5), it's styling was relatively conservative and functional. E60 era interiors (in the E70) are a letdown for me compared to E38 era interiors though.

X5TUU

11,908 posts

186 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
quotequote all
I'd have an X6M in a heart beat, nice size, good road position, nice and quick. Price tag seems a little steep, but most will no doubt be on lease for circa £5-600mth so not too bad really

I don't car if its a Chelsea tractor, at least it has some real road presence and at least the marmite styling makes it memorable, unlike the bland Range Rover/RR-S's

dele

1,270 posts

193 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
quotequote all
I will always have a soft-spot in my heart for the X6M because of how bonkers it is

NomduJour

18,988 posts

258 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
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And people complain about the new Range Rover Sport ...

X5 and X6 are surely in the running for the most vulgar cars without the engine in the middle.

irfan1712

1,241 posts

152 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
quotequote all
I actually think they both look fantastic, even though I hate the 'softy' looking new X5,s and have never ever liked X6's, they both looking cracking.

Of course their pointless but I guess there is a market for people after an M5 on stilts that don't want something as fugly as a Cayenne. £90k though! ouch.

I just hope they sound 570bhp worth, because the previous X5/6M sounded absolutely GHASTLY for what they were capable of.

Maldini35

2,913 posts

187 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
quotequote all
EGTE said:
Are they not still hideous, bloated, over-complicated, over-weight, over-sized, reverse-tardis off-road-incapable show-off-mobiles like the old ones, then?

Still deeply offended by these.
agreed.

These cars have no class & despite the ridiculous brief that spawned them, they seem to lack a sense of humour





shake a fist

6 posts

163 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
quotequote all
I never understand why people are so offended by cars like this. I have a 2004 X5 4.8iS, the then version of what these are now. Yes it's expensive, it's thirsty, and a full set of tyres is £1200, but it's a truly awesome car to own and drive. I thought the fact we were all on here is because we love cars, so why can't we love these? Maybe you've not had the privilege of driving one because if you did you wouldn't be saying these things!