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      04-03-2008, 05:11 PM   #1
EnsignCrusher
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BMW X6 Road Test

Hey guys,

I'm the Road Test Editor over at Jalopnik.com and will be testing the X6 tomorrow. Do you guys have any questions you'd like answered or specific pictures you'd like to see? Just let me know and I'll do my best to get them for you.

Thanks,

Wes
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      04-03-2008, 05:23 PM   #2
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hi

I have a question!!If you test x50i tell us if it's better than porche cayenne gts!! thanks!!
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      04-03-2008, 05:25 PM   #3
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Ha, ok will do.

I'll be driving both the xDrive35i and xDrive50i
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      04-03-2008, 05:39 PM   #4
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X6 Test Drive

Quote:
Originally Posted by EnsignCrusher View Post
Hey guys,

I'm the Road Test Editor over at Jalopnik.com and will be testing the X6 tomorrow. Do you guys have any questions you'd like answered or specific pictures you'd like to see? Just let me know and I'll do my best to get them for you.

Thanks,

Wes
Where are you driving? The Performance Center? How different are the exhaust notes from inside the car,TTI6 vs TTV8.Also,I spotted a very strange looking X5 running some test laps at the PC.It was absolutely quite going down the track....X5 Hybrid maybe.See if you can pull any info out of them about an X5 Hybrid.They were very worked up about me seeing this car go down the track.Thanks. PalBay
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      04-03-2008, 09:32 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EnsignCrusher View Post
Ha, ok will do.

I'll be driving both the xDrive35i and xDrive50i
I would like to know how much faster the xDrive 50i feels in regards to xDrive 35i because I have ordered the 50i and will be driving the 35i tomorrow.

I am also curious about how much bettermore pronounced the exhaust tone is.

Thanks.
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      04-04-2008, 01:22 AM   #6
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Wink Active Drive

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Originally Posted by EnsignCrusher View Post
Ha, ok will do.

I'll be driving both the xDrive35i and xDrive50i
Could you please indicate how much the X6 bends over without the Adaptive Drive option. This option is bloody expensive over here in Europe, so I left it out of my order...

How much does it penalize the driving experience ?

Thanks a lot for given us the opportunity to ask questions !
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      04-04-2008, 02:01 AM   #7
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Cool Alu lateral boards

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Originally Posted by EnsignCrusher View Post
Do you guys have any questions you'd like answered or specific pictures you'd like to see?
Hello,

Could you also take some pictures of the Aluminum lateral boards.. ?
Could you check if the width of the door step is the same with/without the Alu lateral boards ?
Haven't seen them, some people say they are ugly..
I ordered them and plan eventually to change them, if they are that ugly, someone will provide a better design I hope...

thanks again
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      04-04-2008, 03:39 AM   #8
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Question Parking + Chrome line

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Originally Posted by EnsignCrusher View Post
Do you guys have any questions you'd like answered or specific pictures you'd like to see?
Wes
Hello Wes,

The questions just keep popping up..

What about parking the X6 in reverse of course, what is the experience, with and without the rearview camera ?

Does it look that you could possibly upgrade/customise the 35i in such a way as to include the Chrome line finish around the windows.. ?

Thanks a lot

Branko
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      04-04-2008, 08:23 AM   #9
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Hey Wes,

…Branko’s question on parking and the back-up camera can be expanded to one of overall rear visibility: a lot of people have been concerned that the rear window is mostly useless. Can you comment on rear visibility? During normal driving, do you get a good view of cars coming up behind you? What about rearward blind spots; are the small rear side windows worth anything?

I’d also appreciate any input on the leather dash option. It seems to really class up the interior, but is it that much improved over the standard BMW dash construction? Is there any news on availability of the option? (most information now just says ‘delayed availability’). Finally, what’s the word on longevity of leather as a dash covering material? Does it take a lot of extra care and maintenance? Is it likely to fade at all??

Hope I caught you early enough – being on the west coast of the US puts me way behind you guys – you might be doing laps as I type… if so, I hope you have a big grin on your face!!!

Cheers,
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      04-04-2008, 11:18 PM   #10
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X6 Review

Well, it is really hard to see out of the back. But, with the reversing camera and big wing mirrors, it's not as big of a pain as you might think.

As for the engine choices, the six-cylinder is noticeably nimbler and nearly as fast. Lack's the V8's turbo lag too. It's the one I'd go for.

I didn't get a chance to drive one without Adaptive Drive, but that and the Dynamic Performance Control are kind of the car's raison d'etre, it'd seem a bit pointless getting one without either.

Also, I don't know about the aluminum window trim on the six-cylinder or door step. The former looks pretty good in black and the car's not hard to climb into, despite its massive size.

The first part of my review is up here:
http://jalopnik.com/376456/2009-bmw-x6-part-one

It's a cool car.

Wes
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      04-05-2008, 12:14 AM   #11
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From the aritcle " the steering is almost totally numb, so it takes time to develop faith in the chassis' ability." Wes what do you mean by numb? compared to say an X5? Or even a 3 series? Thanks

E
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      04-05-2008, 10:21 AM   #12
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Active Steering?

Hey Wes,

To your comments on lack of feel for steering; were the cars you drove equipped with the Active Steering option? I have heard comments that the Active Steering tends to reduce driver ‘feeling’ or feedback…

I’m really on the fence with about option – it's a $1400 add-on!.. Can anyone provide comment on the system and its detractions or benefits?? Maybe we should start another thread if you have a lot to discuss...
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      04-05-2008, 03:39 PM   #13
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Wes:

Good information. Thanks!

I don't like the bit about the V8 having turbo lag -- BMW makes a great fuss in their technical literature about how they have virtually eliminated it. I hope the vehicle you drove was an anomaly or I'll be thinking twice about going with the V8.

Could you give an assessment of comfort? In other words, how does the suspension compare with a regular X5 and/or an X5 with sport package?

Thanks.
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      04-05-2008, 06:02 PM   #14
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All reviews I read states that X6 's suspension is stiffer than X5's...

maybe its because of the DPC thing
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      04-05-2008, 09:47 PM   #15
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I can tell you that I drove an X6 35i with Active Steering and I really tought it drove well and not too stiff. Not even close to as stiff as the old body style X5s. I will have to agree with the previous poster that with Active Steering the response was a bit numb and not nearly as much road feedback as with a 3 series. I loved the turning radius though but do not think I will order with this option.

A little bummed to hear about the turbo lag. That is very disappointing and I hope it was just the vehicle. Will have to wait to read some more reviews. Still going to order the V8 due to possible future modding ability.
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      04-05-2008, 11:43 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by morty View Post
Hey Wes,

To your comments on lack of feel for steering; were the cars you drove equipped with the Active Steering option? I have heard comments that the Active Steering tends to reduce driver ‘feeling’ or feedback…

I’m really on the fence with about option – it's a $1400 add-on!.. Can anyone provide comment on the system and its detractions or benefits?? Maybe we should start another thread if you have a lot to discuss...
Drove the X5 w and w/o active steering. Great concept that works. I mean at slow speed being able to get into a spot with out having to turn the wheel so much. Very impressive. But I prefer it without. I don't mind turning the wheel more to have a consistent feel all the time. Just my opinion.
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      04-06-2008, 04:40 PM   #17
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Numb steering means it lacks feel. Feel is good because it allows you to evaluate inputs from the chassis and road and use them to help inform the decisions you make while driving. I drove models with both steering setups and it's a problem on both.

The V8 is fast, but not faster enough in practice to justify choosing it over the I6. Especially since the I6 feels so much more chuckable.

Comfort is excellent in both vehicles, yes the suspension is firmer, but it improves handling without sacrificing comfort.

Part 2 of my review will be up tomorrow.

Wes
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      04-06-2008, 09:34 PM   #18
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another review with video

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=125474

engine sounds awesome.
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      04-07-2008, 09:07 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by garbagejunk View Post
another review with video

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=125474

engine sounds awesome.
Edmunds: "A very heavy small car at a very big price" !!

The first two road tests of the X6 50i don't inspire a lot of optimism. But Edmunds didn't find any problem with turbo lag as Wes did; I guess it all boils down to what you are used to and what you expect.

Maybe I need to tone down my expectations a little.

__________________________________________________ ____

(Later)
Found some links on another board to some more road tests. All is not lost.

From Car Magazine in the UK:

So the X6 handles well?

Unbelievably so. Direction changes completely belie its height and weight, and agility is something else. If you thought the Cayenne GTS defied logic, try this. The moment it sensed understeer on a streaming wet test track, you felt drive going to the rear axle to kill it; it deploys globs of torque with lightning speed. Result? Unbelievable cornering for one so heavy (the X6 is a scarcely believable 2.2 tonnes).

But it defies logic and handles in an extraordinary fashion. The X6 is taut, well controlled, chuckable and super-accurate. Big, but so easy to place, so responsive, it shrinks around you. The steering’s heavily weighted, mind you. Standard 19in wheels make it pattery in town, but the ride settles down at speed.

...

Why has the X6 converted us, when we too were sceptical about this niche too far? The way it drives is little short of incredible, and the pace on tap is something else. And those looks? Spend some time with the X6 and you start to understand it. It’s hard to forgive the cramped rear accommodation, but if you need the space buy an X5. If you want the style and an even more focused drive, try the X6. BMW has produced one of the most unlikely driver’s cars of the year.


From Autocar in the UK:

If you regard the Porsche Cayenne as the most indiscreet SUV on the road, it has most certainly been toppled by the X6.

...

Despite the 19in wheels and 255/50 tyres, the 50i rides remarkably well, almost uncannily well for a car like this. However, as well as four-wheel drive and the new ‘torque-vectoring’ rear differential, our car was also equipped with Adaptive Drive which alters the anti-roll bar and damper settings continuously. In its standard (non-Sport) setting this X6 was – when cruising - more GT than hard-core coupe.

...

For long, fast journeys the X6 promises to be a superb place to spend time, with the added bonus of its willingness to be taken by the scruff of its neck and driven hard.

The problem is that the serenity of the X6’s occupants will be inversely proportional to the rage and irritation felt by those caught in its wake. Bizarrely, the X6’s provocative appearance is entirely at odd with the zen-like calm of its interior.

But on first impressions, BMW has done it again – creating a niche within a niche. Whether you love or loathe the concept behind it, the X6 promises to be another roaring success.


From Motor Trend:

Despite a curb weight approaching 5000 pounds, the X6 xDrive 50i often handles like a much smaller vehicle. Ride is a combination of traditional BMW firmness with a bit of the roll you get with tall vehicles.

...


On the street, the issue is keeping your foot out of it. The X6 xDrive 50i is smooth and stealthy fast. Triple digit speeds come so easily, the X6 could be citation machine for the lead-footed. On highways, the X6 cossets you in such style and comfort, it feels, well, kinda slow. Then you look down and find that you're doing double the speed limit.


From The Truth About Cars:

Considering the fact that the X6's exterior is nothing short of bonkers, the parts-bin interior is a let down. From iDrive (which is getting better), to willfully counter-intuitive turn signals and windshield wipers, to the world's most annoying gear lever, all the crowd (un)favorites are accounted for. Luckily, the SUV's perfectly-executed steering wheel and the sporty seats (with adjustable side bolsters) draw attention away from the haptic haplessness.

...

However, if you've ever been wowed by how well an Infiniti FX or Porsche Cayenne handles, the xDrive35i is going to blow your mind.

_________________________________

And later still...

MSN Cars (UK)

The MSN Cars verdict: 5/5
We're blown away by the X6, chiefly because of its remarkable driving ability. Handling is superb, but don't think it's all gung-ho sportiness, as there are real safety benefits as well. Contradictions continue with engines that are fast yet economical, plus the real talking point, the drama-filled body that combines sportiness with an off-road stance (and confident, commanding driving position). OK, it has only four seats, and more generally, it's easy to be cynical, but try not to be. This is a superb machine.

And a snotty review from Channel 4, also in the UK:

The Early Adopter. This is who'll buy the BMW X6, says BMW.

These are people who got their hands on the iPod, the Wii and the digital radio before everyone else. They are irritatingly cool people and they'll rush out and buy the BMW X6 because it's cool.
...

The Americans'll probably love it, though.

The Telegraph (UK newspaper):

But what a beauty the X6 is… You don't agree? Join the queue. Opinions at the launch ranged from hard to look at, through pug ugly, to a niche too far.
...

Also snotty, as only the Brits can do: As with several modern BMWs, there's a superficial appeal to it - a bit like supermarket cheese.

...

But if the X6 comes ermined in clouds of controversy, then BMW wears its lucky amulet of technical innovation like the bluebird of happiness in a Disney cartoon. Under the skin the X6 has one of the world's most advanced four-wheel drive systems, using a multi-plate clutch and individual planetary gear sets in the rear axle to apportion power and torque to the most appropriate wheel, both under power and when decelerating. It also powers the outside rear wheel to reduce understeer, and with the dynamic performance control it will cut the power and drive the outside wheels in the bend when there is a danger of the vehicle sliding. With no low-ratio transfer case, the technology is intended to keep on-road drivers out of trouble, but the X6 also has hill-descent control, traction control and brake apportioning systems that will at least allow owners to extricate themselves from some tight spots. All the test cars came with BMW's optional active steering system, optional adaptive damper and driving control and 20-inch wheels.

...

The bodywork dwarfs even six-footers, but inside the X6 is a miracle of reverse packaging.

...

In the front this is a seriously luxurious machine, although with eight surface changes on the door panels alone you can't help feeling that BMW is showing off. The instrument binnacle is an object lesson in clarity, the centre console is simple and uncluttered and the deep glovebox with its clamshell lid is both delightful and useful. That said, the iDrive multi-function control continues to be a counter-intuitive nuisance, while the one-touch wiper and indicator stalks are plain annoying and potentially dangerous. BMW gets some things absolutely right, some very wrong.

The X6 is also quite hard to see out of, especially to the rear due to the sloping roofline, and it's difficult to judge where the extremities are. We'll doubtless see a few of these in London, but parking them is going to be misery.

...

The gearbox suits it (the diesel engine) well, although there are inexplicably large gaps between some ratios, which require every bit of the engine's flexibility to smooth over.

...

All in all the X6 is a hard vehicle to like, and to look at, but it's equally difficult to hate something so accomplished at a task no one has yet identified. Less bling than a Range Rover Sport, more compact than an Audi Q7 and less utterly stupid than a Porsche Cayenne, the X6 attracts admiration like a high-tech, 21st century version of Dr Johnson's dog walking on its hind legs; it is done well, but you are astonished to find it done at all.

Last edited by Suzie's Dad; 04-07-2008 at 06:33 PM.. Reason: Still more road tests
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