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Like it or not, it was always going to happen: BMW
has given its X6 and X5 SUV-things the M-division treatment to create the X6M
and X5M.
If you're currently attempting to remove your eyeballs from your head with the
aid of a vacuum cleaner and screaming ‘why, why for the love of God', you're
not alone. But you can't help but admire BMW's sheer chutzpah in unveiling a
pair of 547bhp beasts on to the world. Especially a pair of 547bhp beasts that look
like this.
Yes, 547bhp. Twice. That's courtesy of a twin-turbocharged version of the X6's
4.4-litre V8, which also puts out a whopping 501lb ft from 1,500rpm to 5,650rpm.
All that lovely power and torque will hustle the X5M and X6M to 62mph in -
ready for this? - just 4.7 seconds, making them as quick as the current M3
Coupe. That's seriously, seriously quick. Oh, and BMW has hinted that the cars should be able to get sideways in the right conditions. Are the conditions ever
truly right for getting a two-tonne SUV sideways?
Top speed is limited to 155mph, but opting for the ‘M' driver's package
destricts the pair to 171mph... at which speed you won't be likely to get near
the quoted economy of 20.3mpg.
We won't dwell too long on the, er, striking visuals (feel free to add your
forthright opinion in the comment boxes below) - save to point out the gills on
the front wings and the quad exhausts round the back. In the cabin there's
plenty of leather and M-branding, though sadly there's no factory option to remove
the rear seats and replace them with a full roll cage.
No word on pricing yet, but expect to pay around £60,000 for our X5M and X6M
when they reach dealerships this autumn.
Just one question: why couldn't they call them the MX5 and MX6? Oh...
Open Car Bar
What do you think?
Want to comment on this?
AshHorne commented on this article
at 11:41 am on 06 April 2009
I'm not sure the X6 is all that ugly in the metal. I saw a black one in Birmingham whilst en-route to the MPH show back in November and it did look slightly handsome, in a big, 'GL Mercedes' kind of way. You can do a lot worse, as Porsche has proven. upping the power to 550bhp just gives people more reason to buy one, but anything with an 'M' badge tends not to be cheap. If they can keep the price around that of a Range Rover, it'll sell. But this being BMW's M range, I very much doubt they will.
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pinkshinyalan commented on this article
at 12:31 pm on 06 April 2009
I'm surprised at how much these just look like station wagons (not sure what you call those on your side of the pond) or big hatchbacks with big wheels and extra ride height. I'm used to SUVs having nearly vertical rear windows -- though there's plenty of awful body kits and oversized wheels, to be sure. I'll take my MX5 or an MX6 any day over one of these. Though I did see someone ballsy enough to take a Chevy Trailblazer SS on an autocross track this weekend. That was frightening.
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JamesC commented on this article
at 01:16 pm on 06 April 2009
Great. More daft Super SUV nonsense from the Germans. Just what the world needs, a couple of two-tonne heffers that go like rockets and look like melted fridges. Colour me disheartened.
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boyke_balsac commented on this article
at 01:26 pm on 06 April 2009
I also saw a black X6 while in Indonesia, and it actually looks pretty decent. But those alloys and bumpers are ridiculous, the xDrive 50i looks so much better than that thing. And I still can't understand why BMW decided to make an X5 and X6 M instead of a Z4 M.
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KH21 commented on this article
at 01:51 pm on 06 April 2009
I dont know why top gear hates the X6, i think it looks brilliant, i mean its not your usual box 4x4 ("cough" range rover "cough") the lines are slick and i think it looks real nice. And what comes to the X5 that looks even better than the old one and 550bhp.... cant wait to see one of these monsters. Have to say though, not the absolute BEST time to bring out 2 new SUVs with 550bhp. Love bmw though
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