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03.02.082009 BMW X6
No CommentsCall it a crossover vehicle or call it a small activity vehicle, the 2009 BMW X6 is customer designed for families that need extra space but still want the luxury and handling of a classic BMW sports coupe. Originally shown as a concept car at the Frankfurt Auto Show in the fall, the production vehicle shows its concept car heritage. Not a lot was changed from the crossover’s debut in Germany.
In spite of it’s German heritage, the 2009 BMW X6 will be made at the BMW SUV factory in South Carolina and it will look almost identical to the debut concept vehicle. It is still much smaller than other crossovers, losing significant interior room due to some daring design choices. BMW is the market leader in utility vehicles that take their styling cues from popular coupes, but as more people look for vehicles with a higher profile, but good gas mileage and better handling, these new vehicle types will prove popular.
The 2009 BMW X6 will handle only four passengers instead if the six vehicles that can fit inside the X5 and X3 full sized BMW SUVs. The cargo area is much smaller than the traditional SUV, but there is still plenty of room for sports gear and vacation luggage. Just don’t expect to haul the entire soccer team. The sport activity vehicle is designed to be smaller than the SUV, so this isn’t a design flaw.
The X6 features a sloping roofline that gives the vehicle an aggressive look. It is smaller than the BMW X5, but the performance and sporty look will make up for the lack of headroom and cargo space.
There have been two very different versions of the 2009 BMW X6. One is a more traditional SUV that rides high. The other is the four door coupe X6. BMW has also shown a hybrid version of the X6 that gets up to 20 per cent better gas mileage than the gas powered version. The hybrid version also has a significant drop in emissions.
The two new engines for the 2009 BMW X6 will provide plenty of power for both city trips and long haul interstate driving. The standard engine is expected be the powerful 4.4 liter V8 engine that is already available in a variety of BMWs, including the M6 coupes and the popular 6 Series. The V8 produces 407 horsepower and 446 pound feet of torque. Even with the power, the BMW X6 has decent fuel economy, with a combined fuel economy rating of around 19 miles per gallon in the V8 engine. There have also been rumors that BMW may offer an inline six cylinder engine instead. If the BMW drops the 3.0 liter inline six into the X6 the engine will throw out 306 horsepower. BMW is also expected to offer an impressive 5.0 liter V10 engine. BMW will likely introduce a diesel version of the 2009 BMW X6, but the diesel version will probably be a Europe only version of the vehicle.
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