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      03-26-2020, 04:44 PM   #1
Ilyam5
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x5 M50 vs X6 M competition

Some x6 thoughts after driving one:
First – the car does look better in person, and especially in black, but I’m still not a fan. Next to X5 – I will still take the x5 any day.
Second thing that surprised me – is the lack of utility compared to x5.
-Visibility is nonexistent from rear – tough to get used to for me.
-Front door handles get in the way of window controls. Not sure why they changed it from perfect X5 layout.
-Trunk is smaller, higher and not as easy to access without the lower hatch opening compared to x5.
-Rear seats are smaller and roof is lower so the rear quarters are cramped compared to x5.(but we all knew that).
-What surprised me the most - is the lack of roof rails – so no possibility to install roof rack and carry bikes or Tulley box for extra cargo.
-Both X5M and X6m do not allow trailer hitches since BMW does not want you to tow with M engine, but lack of roof rails makes it a no go for me and mountain biking.
Another thing that surprised me in utility and everyday usability – is the lower radiator cooler under front bumper. Both X5M and x6M have it UNPROTEXCTED. For me it is a red flag for an SUV. I had to buy custom covers for all my M cars to prevent what happened in this thread,
https://f90.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1704144
So – since no one makes one for these cars – one has to custom make it.

Now – to the performance. My biggest fear based on all the reviews – was the ride quality.
Let me say – it is a NON issue. Ride is absolutely fine. Assuming its enthusiasts buying those cars and not grandmas.
It is very composed and makes the car feel taught and whole with its suspension – where in X5m50 I feel like they are separate in comfort mode.
I still do not understand the 22inch wheels in the back – but it’s just me. For 20 years I’ve ben taught on the track to use lightest and smallest diameter wheels to clear the brakes to save on unsprung mass. So I would totally buy custom 20” wheels in lightest possible form to still withstand the mass of the car.
22s look good but if you hit a pothole with 22s – you’d feel it – but to me it’s a function of no rubber on the rim vs suspension tuning.
Ok – here is the biggest surprise. I was ready to be blown away by the acceleration and the engine HP - I WAS NOT.
Like all M cars – the engine is tuned to deliver its power and torque higher in the rev range. So one has to rev the car all the way to achieve that 600Hp acceleration.
Coming out of x5 M50 that shoots you from stop like a cannon – I was surprised at the x6M “mellow“ acceleration from the stop lights.(no launch control was used). Now at 5K RPM that car pulls. But I was forced to use manual shifting to hold it there.
Ok I expect it from M2 but in an SUV – not so sure. I jumped back into my car right after, put it in sport plus and I would say – I liked it more for street use. The tuning of X5 M50 engine is better suited for everyday driving – was my conclusion.
Now to the good part – handling is great on the x6M for an SUV. Suspension tuning shrinks the car. It drifts “at will” and corners like a champ. I would say – that is the biggest difference in x6m vs M50.
X6 m understeers less. It still does but later in the corner and at higher speed. Car rotates better.
Its more willing to change direction at high speeds. So you can have a close enough impression to load it into the corner like a sports car and actually corner vs square SUV driving. There is a little “BUT” there – all this mass has to go somewhere. So just like in the heavy M5 the front tire is doing all the work. So if you corner like that Front tire is not going to last.
Conclusion – the big question is – will I trade up to X5 M competition. The gap in performance is smaller than I thought. 15 to 20- % better cornering is tempting and acceleration at higher speeds (above 100MPH) is great – but will I use it every day since I’m not tracking it ever?
Now I want to drive the MB 63s AMG to experience that 600+ torque – maybe that acceleration will surprise me. Or I’m just getting spoiled with horsepower and how good the X5 M50 really is. Bravo BMW.
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      03-26-2020, 06:33 PM   #2
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Some pics
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      03-26-2020, 08:34 PM   #3
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      03-26-2020, 08:55 PM   #4
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I was surprised with the X5M/X6M back of the front seats facing the rear passengers. They have nothing on the back of them for some reason? No ambient lighting (huge bummer), no USBc, no travel and comfort system at all??? At this price point I expect a reengineered design for the high end items that are standard in the base model X5. Is there any USBc ports for the rear passengers anywhere?

Last edited by MystroX5; 03-26-2020 at 09:05 PM..
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      03-27-2020, 10:12 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MystroX5 View Post
I was surprised with the X5M/X6M back of the front seats facing the rear passengers. They have nothing on the back of them for some reason? No ambient lighting (huge bummer), no USBc, no travel and comfort system at all??? At this price point I expect a reengineered design for the high end items that are standard in the base model X5. Is there any USBc ports for the rear passengers anywhere?
I missed it. I think you are on to smth. Backs of seats are black not leather.
In general the m seats are huge and seating behind them is not as great.
They are not bad but the headrests are too stiff. Again I see no point in changing from comfort seats or at least give us an option to choose M seats if wanted.
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      03-27-2020, 10:56 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ilyam5 View Post
I missed it. I think you are on to smth. Backs of seats are black not leather.
In general the m seats are huge and seating behind them is not as great.
They are not bad but the headrests are too stiff. Again I see no point in changing from comfort seats or at least give us an option to choose M seats if wanted.

That is a great pic of what I was seeing. No reason BMW could have engineered those M seats to have all the same amenities. A big piece of black plastic is a major fail in seat design at this price point.
I buy these SUV’s to use as a luxury/muscle SUV to take the family cross country and have fun doing it. I can tell you my kids really like the rear seat design of our X5 with their iPads and travel tables for long hours of driving. My last 911 I had paid up to have the back of the seats color matched to the rest of the car and those back seats were almost useless. With the attention to detail and the opulence BMW put into the new G05, it’s almost unbelievable this is what the backs on a $125k X5/X6M seats look like to the rear passengers considering how nice everything else is in the rear.

What my back seat passengers experience.

Last edited by MystroX5; 03-27-2020 at 11:09 AM..
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      03-27-2020, 11:07 AM   #7
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One thing to consider is that you cant find any way to mount a tablet to the back of the M seats. I had this issue with my previous F85 X5M. On long trips i wanted to have the ipad up for my kids but had to come up mounting it on the center air vent area which isn't ideal.
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      03-27-2020, 11:11 AM   #8
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Regarding the roof rails, usually if you don't have rails, you have anchors (hidden by a cover, right where the rails would usually cover) to mount the roof racks directly to the roof. Are you saying it doesn't even have those anchor points?
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      03-27-2020, 11:11 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan l. View Post
One thing to consider is that you cant find any way to mount a tablet to the back of the M seats. I had this issue with my previous F85 X5M. On long trips i wanted to have the ipad up for my kids but had to come up mounting it on the center air vent area which isn't ideal.
Agree. It looked like BMW was past those days. No USBc ports either? BMW’s new modular “travel and comfort” rear seat attachment system is so slick, I can’t believe it’s not used in the M-Seat.
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      03-27-2020, 12:29 PM   #10
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[QUOTE=MystroX5;25975594]That is a great pic of what I was seeing. No reason BMW could have engineered those M seats to have all the same amenities.

Totally. I have the same thought with the fact that the F95/F96 version of the Executive Package does NOT include the LED Skylounge. Why doesn’t it? At least make it an incremental pay-for option, right? It makes absolutely no sense since the dimensions of the F95/F96 sun roof is identical to the other G05 models, which have been in production and included this option for many months. So Spartanburg has the parts, technology and production lines to do it...I would think.

The only conclusion that makes sense to me is that BMW plans to add some of these things in future MYs in order to differentiate with prior MYs and spur continued demand for new MYs as they are released...of course to the detriment of early adopters.
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      03-27-2020, 01:24 PM   #11
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That’s my thought. BMW may be holding these options back for a future package. BMW should be optioning out their full M SUV’s a bit different than a full M car because a SUV by design is a different animal from the cars.
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      03-29-2020, 04:19 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ilyam5 View Post
I missed it. I think you are on to smth. Backs of seats are black not leather.
In general the m seats are huge and seating behind them is not as great.
They are not bad but the headrests are too stiff. Again I see no point in changing from comfort seats or at least give us an option to choose M seats if wanted.
Thanks for posting this, I've never been able to see the back of the M-seats before. I was almost certain that I would get them for my next one, however then Tartufo was available again but only for Comfort seats. So my debate "M-Seats/Cognac vs. Comfort Seats/Tartufo" is now no longer such an issue -- I would not go for having those plastic buckets facing my rear seat passengers.
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      04-26-2020, 01:04 PM   #13
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M car, including X6M have 1200miles or 2000km break in where they open up.
Includes oil change in differential and engine.

That is the reason you felt lack of power plus, cars usually get full power after 5000km( engine is above that mileage fully breaked in)

The other option is quarter mile race, this will show you how much X6M is faster
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      04-26-2020, 03:34 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BigHunk View Post
M car, including X6M have 1200miles or 2000km break in where they open up.
Includes oil change in differential and engine.

That is the reason you felt lack of power plus, cars usually get full power after 5000km( engine is above that mileage fully breaked in)

The other option is quarter mile race, this will show you how much X6M is faster
Doubt it would make any difference. In ten years of M car ownership I can’t say I noticed any difference in power pre-or post running in service and they don’t restrict the power (only changing the oil and activating features like launch control) . The only restriction came from being a diligent driver and keeping the car below 5k revs and 100mph until the RIS service.
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      04-26-2020, 05:43 PM   #15
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Good writeup.... I don't think you said anything I wasn't expecting though, other than the "reasonable" ride in the M.

"Reasonable" is relative I think. The whole reason I traded in my car, chose air suspension, and chose to get 21s instead of 22s.... was because the roads are so bad here. I think that "my" version of an X6M here in Belgium.... would be intolerable.

Besides..... I can get a roof rack if I want.... I already bought a trailer for my motorcycle.... and I can even fit my 200lb dog in the back of my X5.

And.... I've already lined up professional dynotuning as soon as this coronavirus thing ends..... which is a guaranteed 680 hp

I'm pretty happy with my X5 M50i Not as "flashy", but otherwise, an all-around better car.
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      04-26-2020, 07:43 PM   #16
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OP have you driven an X3/4 M. I found the ride in the X3/4 M way too rough for what it is and was wondering if the X5/6 M is similar in ride quality. Of course its subjective, but a number of reviews have pointed it out.
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      04-27-2020, 03:38 AM   #17
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TBH I think BMW have lost the plot a bit with their M interiors. I'm a huge fan of Sakhir/Black on the F series but the G series combos look a bit brash lack class in my opinion.

Last edited by Unit; 04-28-2020 at 05:15 AM..
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      04-27-2020, 05:34 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jstein55 View Post
OP have you driven an X3/4 M. I found the ride in the X3/4 M way too rough for what it is and was wondering if the X5/6 M is similar in ride quality. Of course its subjective, but a number of reviews have pointed it out.
I did drive X3 M competition at Monticello and streets in NE. The ride could be described as nervous on the broken pavement. Its not harsh on the regular smooth road but hitting curbs on track or potholes on the road makes the car jump. Non competition version was better with 20 inch wheels. (I believe they have the same suspension)

X6M competition - did not exhibit this nervousness. It rode over beat up Boston roads similar to X5 M50 with M suspension. Felt more composed and isolated vs x3M comp. given that 22 inch rear wheels still transmit too much road noise and texture into cabin for SUV but handling and turning is great.

To - the question of car power - car has Full power since mile 1, break in does not hold any power back on any M cars. So i did experience full engine power but like any M car it is higher in the rev range,. Again - less pronounced vs X3 M that has very low torque below 3500 RPM.
X6M - moves just not like a cannon (compared to some muscle cars) - more like a sling shot with power high in rev range.

For those looking for a cannon and no cornering. - there is always MB 63S
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