RE: Driven: BMW X6M

Author
Discussion

jeremyc

24,443 posts

290 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
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I think we've discovered what the 'M' badge signifies in this application: Marmite. hehe

Not for me thanks. Is there anyone out there that produces a lightweight SUV, or is that an oxymoron? I guess you have to go back to the Series Land Rovers for anything sub 2 tonnes. rolleyes

ZesPak

24,895 posts

202 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
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Deva Link said:
sjmoore said:
Really hate the X5 and X6. Because they are pointless, ugly, too large, too heavy, too uneconomical and because of the people that drive them. Doesn't seem to matter whether the driver is male or female. Must be the car as it brings out aggression and/or stupidity. On my commute can almost guarantee when I see one in the rear-view mirror that soon it will be 2ft from my bumper, trying to get me to pull-over, even though both lanes in front are full. Would love to have a neon sign on my rear-windscreen with "hey s******* - 4-wheel drive gives you traction to accelerate faster - it doesn't help you brake so get off my taillights!". Unfortunately Switzerland is full of the b***** things. I can understand that BMW wants to make money from the 4x4/SUV sector but to make and M version of the X5 and X6 is a desecration of the M badge INMO.
I think the X5 (and similar cars) have a place as, while it's not particularly good at any one thing it does pretty well everything you could ask of a car in one vehicle. They're family utility vehicles.

The tailgating thing isn't to do with it being a 4WD, it's because the drivers are sitting higher up. I drive a Touareg now and again and you can't help but feel superior to all the little people.
The odd time I drive my Patrol on the road, I really have to look out not to tailgate, because you look "over" the next car, so the closer you get, the beter you can see in front of that car... I think the "white van" drivers have the same problem.

Doesn't matter tough, the X5 may "have it's place", but in what way is it better than a 5-series?? (maybe with X-drive, for the winter...)
It's ok if it has 7 seats, I can understand that, but first X5's didn't have that. Nor does this.

sjmoore

1,893 posts

210 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
quotequote all

I think the X5 (and similar cars) have a place as, while it's not particularly good at any one thing it does pretty well everything you could ask of a car in one vehicle. They're family utility vehicles.

The tailgating thing isn't to do with it being a 4WD, it's because the drivers are sitting higher up. I drive a Touareg now and again and you can't help but feel superior to all the little people.
[/quote]

The odd time I drive my Patrol on the road, I really have to look out not to tailgate, because you look "over" the next car, so the closer you get, the beter you can see in front of that car... I think the "white van" drivers have the same problem.

Doesn't matter tough, the X5 may "have it's place", but in what way is it better than a 5-series?? (maybe with X-drive, for the winter...)
It's ok if it has 7 seats, I can understand that, but first X5's didn't have that. Nor does this.
[/quote]

...so us "little people" get doubly screwed by the SUV and white van man brigade..behind us we get tailgated and if a SUV/van is in front we can't see past it, making overtaking more risky...lovely!

..by the way, in Switzerland we do get the 5 series with 4-wheel drive...I have a 530 xd and it is great in the snow, or even if just wet and cold..on the other end of the spectrum I also have an M3 and that is ste. Even with winter tyres in can't get up even slight inclines (which is annoying as there is a fairly steep slope from our underground car park to the road....)

snake doctor

54 posts

181 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
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I like it.

It's amazing how many people talk about the impractical nature of the X6M, yet will see nothing wrong with a 2 seat Lamborghini etc with no luggage space, low slung and obnoxiously loud.

I like big cars. I like 4X4's. I like powerful engines. I like safe cars. I don't need 5 seats and think it looks OK.

More importantly, once I find a decent secondhand one, i'm going to test drive it and if i like it.....i'm going to buy it!!

I can see why it is a hate figure, but it ticks 90% of what I like / want in a car.

Edited by snake doctor on Wednesday 23 December 13:23

Podie

46,644 posts

281 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
quotequote all
snake doctor said:
It's amazing how many people talk about the impractical nature of the X6M, yet will see nothing wrong with a 2 seat Lamborghini etc with no luggage space, low slung and obnoxiously loud.
... but the Lambo is a sportscar, not a massive SUV which logic dictates has room for 7!

Still, I seem to recall BMW stating that "We’ll never build a forced induction car. We’ll never build an all-wheel drive car. We’ll absolute never build an M-badged SUV" and previously said they'd never compromise their range with an estate or a diesel. I await the first BMW FWD car...

kambites

68,309 posts

227 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
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Podie said:
I await the first BMW FWD car...
It's called the MINI. hehe

snake doctor

54 posts

181 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
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Podie said:
snake doctor said:
It's amazing how many people talk about the impractical nature of the X6M, yet will see nothing wrong with a 2 seat Lamborghini etc with no luggage space, low slung and obnoxiously loud.
... but the Lambo is a sportscar, not a massive SUV which logic dictates has room for 7!

Still, I seem to recall BMW stating that "We’ll never build a forced induction car. We’ll never build an all-wheel drive car. We’ll absolute never build an M-badged SUV" and previously said they'd never compromise their range with an estate or a diesel. I await the first BMW FWD car...
I like the fact it is for 4 people. If I want a car for 7, i'll buy one.

LHD

17,001 posts

193 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
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I love it. biggrin

It's on the list for when the euromillions numbers come up.

Podie

46,644 posts

281 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
quotequote all
snake doctor said:
Podie said:
snake doctor said:
It's amazing how many people talk about the impractical nature of the X6M, yet will see nothing wrong with a 2 seat Lamborghini etc with no luggage space, low slung and obnoxiously loud.
... but the Lambo is a sportscar, not a massive SUV which logic dictates has room for 7!

Still, I seem to recall BMW stating that "We’ll never build a forced induction car. We’ll never build an all-wheel drive car. We’ll absolute never build an M-badged SUV" and previously said they'd never compromise their range with an estate or a diesel. I await the first BMW FWD car...
I like the fact it is for 4 people. If I want a car for 7, i'll buy one.
You asked why people called it impractical... at no point did you mention how many seats you wanted...

fieldl

1,320 posts

237 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
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Massive thumbup
Impractical thumbup
Rapid thumbup
Poke in the eye for the greenys thumbup
Good potential to depreciate like a stonethumbup

Will quite possibly be joining the stable when they are sensible money.

vintageracer01

873 posts

181 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
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Another answer of BMW to a question NOBODY asked.

For what customer group?

If you have a sexual problem you buy THIS!

ZesPak

24,895 posts

202 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
quotequote all
snake doctor said:
Podie said:
snake doctor said:
It's amazing how many people talk about the impractical nature of the X6M, yet will see nothing wrong with a 2 seat Lamborghini etc with no luggage space, low slung and obnoxiously loud.
... but the Lambo is a sportscar, not a massive SUV which logic dictates has room for 7!

Still, I seem to recall BMW stating that "We’ll never build a forced induction car. We’ll never build an all-wheel drive car. We’ll absolute never build an M-badged SUV" and previously said they'd never compromise their range with an estate or a diesel. I await the first BMW FWD car...
I like the fact it is for 4 people. If I want a car for 7, i'll buy one.
Well... eeurm it's the fact that it's a pointless vehicle, why? Because it's by far inferiour to any car in it's price range if you want to seat four.

A Lambo is a great car if you only need to seat 2 and want an awesome car. This is (imo, and the opinion of a lot here) not a great car, however you look at it.
Cars can do several things to be "not pointless":

1) Be cheap (any cheap car)
2) Be practical (family cars)
3) Be purposefull (offroaders, vans)
4) Be very very good looking
5) Be uber fast or competent / fun to drive (sports cars)

So, this may not be all, but it's five very important criteria.
Most cars overlap two criteria (ex Berlingo: 1,2,3 | Lambo: 4,5 | M5: 2,5 | Alfa 159: 2,4). Sorry to say this, this BMW is neither.

It's desirability factor lies in a big "posing off" factor, and maybe a tad in pissing off the enviromentalists, but you can get an old defender to do that and not have to sell a leg to get it fixed when they trash it.

hairyben

8,516 posts

189 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
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toppstuff said:
I love it.

I love the fact that they can build it. I love the fact that it exists.

We should respect everyones freedom to have one of these if they want one, without criticism IMO.

With over-regulation and the nanny state seemingly just around the corner, this car is a definitive "up yours" to the government and the eco-fascists.

For that reason alone I think it should be welcomed.
Yes.

I love the sheer ridiculousness of it. But then I apparently have a warped sense of humour.

Although, I wouldn't buy one.

toppstuff

13,698 posts

253 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
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If someone wants a large 4x4, why not have a fast one?

Why is it that people expect that if someone wants a 4x4, it has to be a diesel defender or other "worthy" vehicle ?

I see no reason why someone can't want both a 4x4 and a fast car - so why not have both in the same vehicle?

Say I have a Scuderia or a GT3 in the garage, but in the weather we have now, I would take a 4x4 out to travel cross country or around the local lanes.

Where in the rules does it say that my 4x4 has to be some diesel tug-boat engined slug?

If I want a petrol engined 150mph 4x4, I will bloody well buy one.

People really, really don't get it.

smit8361

231 posts

197 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
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Drove one last week in pretty rubbish conditions i.e snow and ice. Really wanted to hate this but the speed, and the noise when u change gear where to much and i fell for it slightly. Not going to say it is great but was certainly fun to drive and made me smile. If i had the funds would seriously consider.

DoctorD

1,542 posts

262 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
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Well I have covered more than 30,000 miles now in my X6 35d and it's the best car I have ever owned. We've done everything in it, from the track antics you might have witnessed on DR last Christmas, to numerous family holidays where it swallowed just as much clutter as the ML63 that we previously owned.

18 months on and I never cease to find its handling a delight, even in these snowy conditions it just doesn't want to understeer, far less so for example than my M3 CSL and I actually love the way it looks. I still haven't got bored despite the familiarity I now have with its shape.

I encouraged a good friend of mine to buy the X6 M, which he picked up a few weeks ago and he describes it as feeling like the 997 Turbo he used to own, except on stilts. He loves it too, despite a stable of some very desirable cars to choose from.

Having owned many different high-performance SUVs, the very 'point' of them is how 'pointless' they appear to others, the glee to be gained by something performing in a way that nobody expects. Some of us find this an integral part of what we enjoy about driving - the contrasts and the unexpected. Long may manufacturers continue to produce such anomolies..

10 Pence Short

32,880 posts

223 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
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It looks like a crouching paedo. No thanks.

VladD

7,995 posts

271 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
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Podie said:
snake doctor said:
It's amazing how many people talk about the impractical nature of the X6M, yet will see nothing wrong with a 2 seat Lamborghini etc with no luggage space, low slung and obnoxiously loud.
... but the Lambo is a sportscar, not a massive SUV which logic dictates has room for 7!
Incorrect. If you want to carry 7 people you buy a......wait for it..........people carrier. This is a SUV, a utility vehicle for carrying your sporting equipment (canoes, surf boards etc). 4 seats is fine. Having said that if I wanted to carry sports gear and have only 4 seats I'd get a 7 series.

As for all of the people stating that the X6M is pointless, let me put it this way. If you could manufacture a product and sell it for a profit, would you do it, regardless of what a minority think? Also, how many sales of other M cars will BMW lose as a result of building the X6M. My guess is none.

Edited by VladD on Wednesday 23 December 15:46

Zod

35,295 posts

264 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
quotequote all
Deva Link said:
I think the X5 (and similar cars) have a place as, while it's not particularly good at any one thing it does pretty well everything you could ask of a car in one vehicle. They're family utility vehicles.
The X5 certainly has a place (but not in London). The X5 M and X6 M do not.

kambites

68,309 posts

227 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
quotequote all
Zod said:
Deva Link said:
I think the X5 (and similar cars) have a place as, while it's not particularly good at any one thing it does pretty well everything you could ask of a car in one vehicle. They're family utility vehicles.
The X5 certainly has a place (but not in London). The X5 M and X6 M do not.
I don't see anything wrong with the X5M really. Other companies are producing powerful SUVs, why not BMW?

The X6 just seems odd to me though.