X5 M / X6 M [Official] BMW X6 M Thread

[Mr Robert]

Your well spoken comments will fall on deaf ears I'm afraid Martinbo. The BMW apologists (you know who you are) will state that this is still a very "M" interpretation of a sports SUV. They say this in a way that to them somehow justifies and makes the X5/X6 M acceptable. An "M" SUV is an anachronism. Full stop.

A thief is no more acceptable if he's polite whilst he robs people.

The X6M and X5M have nothing to do with what BMW Motorsport ws all about until last week. Four wheel drive, forced induced, heavy as hell, automatic, SUV, lard asses...

I agree that an M SUV is something of an anachronism, but it is also one of the worst oxymorons around.

Forget about "a new chapter", hell, this is a new book and it is not even in the same genre as the last one...

 

[martinbo]

Just to temper some of the strong opinion flying around, I think it's important to re-iterate that I have no problem with BMW doing an SUV/SAC/fastbackyuckyGT in the regular line up. Whether I think such vehicles are, to a greater or lesser extent, pointless, is in itself irrelevant.

I am strongly opposed however to the defection away from the Motorsport ideals that I have come to deeply appreciate over many years as a keen driver and full-on automotive enthusiast. In my mind the M Division product offering should read like a separate, exclusive catalogue dedicated to the precision of luxury performance motoring combined with the familiar more-from-less approach and jewel-like attention to engineering detail. I don't see this here and so I consider this once hallowed icon of BMW fastidiousness to be tarnished.

 

[klier]

Sweet jesus, you guys do manage to really make everything negative.

X5 and X6 M exist. Like we will have fuel efficient Ferraris, diesel Porsches, front wheel drive cheap Benzes and whatnot. Move over it, and realise the X6 M is the coolest and fastest SUV ever made.

 

[VroomVroom]

Sweet jesus, you guys do manage to really make everything negative.

X5 and X6 M exist. Like we will have fuel efficient Ferraris, diesel Porsches, front wheel drive cheap Benzes and whatnot. Move over it, and realise the X6 M is the coolest and fastest SUV ever made.

Very fair comment.

Improvise, Adapt and Overcome

The X6 is by far the coolest, the X5 is a let down compared to the X6

 

[martinbo]

The uniquely innovative and compact V8, normally hidden from view:

Can anyone here tell me what this engine weighs?

 

[Mr Robert]

I don't see this here and so I consider this once hallowed icon of BMW fastidiousness to be tarnished.

I agree, these are valid points. To me it is fine for them to make the X6M and X5M. I mean, even BMW knows these are not real M cars and that they are so out of time, BMW just did not manage to stop then in time. They have nothing to do with maintaing core brand values, they are merely an image application of these values, aquired through the years.

But in order ro harvest one must sow (and this was some harvest)... so don't stop making the real M cars.

 

[Zafiro]

Tuning companies are going to love these Turbo engines from M divison.
Very soon we will see a X6M with
stage 1: 610hp
stage 2: 700hp
stage 3: 850hp

S.U.V Oh tuning companies are going to love this..

 

[klier]

But in order ro harvest one must sow (and this was some harvest)... so don't stop making the real M cars.

Really? I could call it sowing as well. The X5/X6 M are made for Americans as top priority, and when they taste the magic that is the X5/6 M (in relation to other powerful SUVs), they might stick with other BMW models in the future.

 

[Mr Robert]

Really? I could call it sowing as well. The X5/X6 M are made for Americans as top priority, and when they taste the magic that is the X5/6 M (in relation to other powerful SUVs), they might stick with other BMW models in the future.

This was a harvest of the BMW M image. Nothing else.

 

[m-power]

Sweet jesus, you guys do manage to really make everything negative.

X5 and X6 M exist. Like we will have fuel efficient Ferraris, diesel Porsches, front wheel drive cheap Benzes and whatnot. Move over it, and realise the X6 M is the coolest and fastest SUV ever made.

:roll2:

 

[vedjo01]

As I see it,M specific engine layout is gone..This new engine is indeed impressive on paper..and I belive it also delivers quite a punch to X6 2 ton monster..but engine itself is not,by a long shot,true M one IMO..
F*cking world recesion and oil prizes..

 

[klier]

Pfff, don't be so quick to judge

This M will offer a life changing SUV experience. No M3 CSL style, but X6 AWD turbo style. It's cool.

 

[vedjo01]

Pfff, don't be so quick to judge

This M will offer a life changing SUV experience. No M3 CLS style, but X6 AWD turbo style. It's cool.

To some ppl,this car makes perfect sense..and I dont have anything against that..I´m just pissed that this project of making "performance" SAC is done on expense of much needed M1(or 135 tti,for taht matter) or M3 CSL cars..I may be wrong about this,but my gutt tells me thats the case here,sadly .

 

[klier]

I am not here to defend this car in any way. I just think it's awesome BMW finally has competition to the Cayenne Turbo S, ML63 and Q7 V12.

And if they put this engine in the next M5, it will be coupled with some sort of semi-automatic SMG/DCT style gearbox and with 300 kg less weight to carry, it will be utterly fantastic.

 

[coolraoul]

Sweet jesus, you guys do manage to really make everything negative.

X5 and X6 M exist. Like we will have fuel efficient Ferraris, diesel Porsches, front wheel drive cheap Benzes and whatnot. Move over it, and realise the X6 M is the coolest and fastest SUV ever made.

Mmhhhh... Since when is //M about cool and fast? R you talking about a f*cking Mustang or what?

 

[klier]

Ok...I forgot to add crazy good handling and agility compared to ML63 and Cayenne Turbo S too. But I don't want to write that down in every X5/6 M post, since it makes me look even more like a fanboy on the loose....

I just like this car. I like the looks and I like the performance. But I guess that's not really the correct thing to say here on GCF. We are supposed to all dislike this car, so sorry.

 

[martinbo]

Here's a very nice overhead image of BMW's unique exhaust manifold, twin turbocharger and twin-scroll design.



For those who don't know or are interested, in this image we can clearly see what is meant by "twin-scroll" turbocharging. The exhaust gas impeller (turbine) is in the centre of the image and the compressor impeller for the engine inlet side is on the left. Looking at the exhaust turbine you can see two circular chambers surrounding the turbine that are tear-drop shaped in cross-section. These are the two scrolls or volutes that direct different exhaust gas pulses to the turbine.

The concept in this is that the smaller volute spools the turbine more readily at low engine rpm, thereby eliminating lag, by directing exhaust gas to the broader section of the turbine blades. The other, larger scroll speeds the turbine faster by directing flow to the edges of turbine vanes. In this way a fair measure of the compromises associated with turbocharging are negated: low speed lag associated with larger turbos is avoided and the high-rev power drop off associated with smaller, low pressure turbo back pressure is also prevented.

This is similar in concept to Porsche's VTG (variable turbine geometry concept) except that in the Porsche's case, the direction of exhaust gas onto turbine blades is mechanically and infinitely adjusted via movable vanes compared with the mechanically fixed methodology in the BMW.

 

[Mr Robert]

Ok...I forgot to add crazy good handling and agility compared to ML63 and Cayenne Turbo S too.

Here is the problem. When it comes to a real M car, it should never need to say anything more than this:

Ok...I forgot to add crazy good handling and agility.

Making a ballerina out of a cow will always mean extensive compromise. In this case the frame of reference was not really M-worthy.

I just like this car. I like the looks and I like the performance. But I guess that's not really the correct thing to say here on GCF. We are supposed to all dislike this car, so sorry.

I find it to be the other way around, you are deemed a reactionary should you have anything negative to say about the current brand confusion of BMW M.

 

[Tarek]

So, it's another day and another episode in the BMW Heresies story.

Episode III - The uncompromising Motorsport Division, compromised.

BMW of late is a car maker that prompts the informed motorist more and more to ask the question - why? Why, did we ever - credit crunch, fuel crisis lnotwithstanding - need an M badge to be tacked on to the back of an SUV? Isn't an X6 xDrive50i all the sports activity coupe any rational BMW buyer would want? I want to know, at what point is an X6 xDrive50i not enough? I'm really curious about the demographic and profile of this buyer. Potential Panamera Turbo buyer with a secret penchant for raised suspension and seating position?

In this, the quantum shift for the M-Division, BMW in one fell swoop tell us that the combination of AWD, sport utility, turbocharging and (of all bloody things) a conventional automatic are all entirely acceptable concepts at BMW M and that what has come before it is now, to quote the term, passé. The X5 and X6 M are indicative of an inconsistent message from BMW. Sure, BMW needed to the M identity to be more flexible, more universally applicable along the lines of an AMG badge that can be readily affixed to just about any Mercedes Benz in the range without raising the ire of its long-time enthusiasts and loyalist customers. Talk about shock tactics - no let-em-down-gently approach here eh?

The problem is wrought out of BMW's own doing; their uncompromising approach in the M-Division over the years gone by and the vociferous message behind this created an ever-increasing set of limiting parameters within which to market the M badge to a burgeoning base of consumers more intent on the brag-factor of parading an M badge than the passion and purpose of the Motorsport ethos.

And so, in these times of environmental, financial and social circumspection, the idea surely, is to either market cars that are:
- socially responsible and sustainable
- or, if not, then at least the pure essence of driving pleasure, justifiable in the sheer joy they bring to enthusiasts because of their uncompromising nature.

The X5 and X6 M models represent neither and are symptomatic of the ever-present materialistic and irreverant image-driven consumerism in the automotive market. A two-ton, high-performance, gas-guzzling, V8 SUV with mammoth 315 section tyres is grossly inappropriate at this point in time.

Of course, I can't blame BMW, they've been set on a path of model proliferation en-mass for some time now and, well, if Porsche has a Turbo S Cayenne derivative and Mercedes Benz has an AMG ML model, then who am I to say that BMW oughtn't to join the fray?

Still, wouldn't it be refreshing to hear a car maker say that they would rather lose a few customers by not entering into a specific segment but would rather focus on making the existing model range better than their competitors...?

Yes, the pundits will argue that BMW are becoming a better brand but I'm not sure the same could be said of their cars.

I just like this post..

 

[coolraoul]

Ok...I forgot to add crazy good handling and agility compared to ML63 and Cayenne Turbo S too. But I don't want to write that down in every X5/6 M post, since it makes me look even more like a fanboy on the loose....

I just like this car. I like the looks and I like the performance. But I guess that's not really the correct thing to say here on GCF. We are supposed to all dislike this car, so sorry.

Yeah, yeah, whatever... You forgot...

Sure, it's not the most important any more.
So you can forget it.