BMW X6: the new SUV, coupe, whatever

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BMW has taken the sport utility vehicle, turned up the ‘sport’ button and come out with this, the X6. The company describes it as a ‘sport activity coupe,’ which is somewhat misleading, because the X6 has four doors.

Think of it as a lower, sportier X5. It has the same all-wheel-drive system as that vehicle but has its own particular slant: dynamic performance control.

What this array of clever electronics and special hardware does is help steer the vehicle by directing torque to either of the rear wheels. This cutting-edge technology is effective whether the driver is accelerating or decelerating. As a result, the vehicle’s agility is enhanced at any speed. It also has the added advantage of even safer and more stable traction on slippery or uneven surfaces.

Engine-wise, there will initially be a choice of a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-6 making 300 horsepower (the xDrive 35i) or a 4.4-liter V-8 making 400 hp and also sporting two turbos (the xDrive 50i). BMW claims enough interior space to take four passengers with four sets of golf clubs in comfort. Prices will be announced in April, with the X6 hitting the showrooms soon after.

-- Colin Ryan