X6 Official: BMW X6

[EnI]

^ The video says it all: "BMW M BluePerformance Automobiles. Powered by ///M"

 

[Beemer B773ER]

So basically this is how it will look?

Oh yeah, that looks about right.. it's missing the sculpture powerdome though. You can tell when M has put a lot of focus and energy on a new engine/car because the fog lights have been made redundant!

These M...d models are not supposed to outperform the established M models, but I'm sure you know that.

The 1M's capped performance made that very clear. ;-)
I was merely making light hearted humour at klier's Christmas wish of the new 3er being blessed with this Mx50d motor.

How will this motor compare to the current x50i V8TT ?

 

[EMpower]

This has full M treatment? Quad exhaust? M-gills, etc.
When is the special edition(CRT?) X6, Scott mentioned about, coming?

 

[south]

The 1M's capped performance made that very clear. ;-)

Touche! However, the 1M is considered one of the regular M models.

How will this motor compare to the current x50i V8TT ?

I'd assume that straight line performance will be similar but the M50d will outperform it on handling.

This has full M treatment? Quad exhaust? M-gills, etc.

No, these things will be on the M models only.


Best regards,
south

 

[EMpower]

No, these things will be on the M models only.


Best regards,
south

Powered by M, but not really an M model. Is this first or BMW has done this in past?

 

[EMpower]

Power dome?

 

[donkeykong]

Yep, that's the X6 M50d (M550d is the F10 ).


Best regards,
south

Kind of tough to keep up with BMW's current nomenclature

 

[Palbay]

Power Dome

Power dome?

Looks like it. I've not seen any of these in person yet. Only X6 and X6 M LCI's. Thanks. PalBay

 

[Beemer B773ER]

Power dome?

This was first seen on the X6 ActiveHybrid Concept shown at Frankfurt in 2009.

..and of course on the actual production model of the X6 ActiveHybrid.


Looks pretty much the same thing in that video.

 

[Beemer B773ER]

So what is/are the reason for these Mxxd models? Is it...

a) to somewhat meet the needs of customers who would have opted for a diesel version of the M5, X5/6M ?

b) to leverage the M brand to make BMW's diesels more sporty, rather than just efficient ?

c) to simply add to their diesel line-up since the 35d has been the largest diesel engine for a while now ?

 

[Betty Swollocks]

So what is/are the reason for these Mxxd models? Is it...

a) to somewhat meet the needs of customers who would have opted for a diesel version of the M5, X5/6M ?

b) to leverage the M brand to make BMW's diesels more sporty, rather than just efficient ?

c) to simply add to their diesel line-up since the 35d has been the largest diesel engine for a while now ?

I'd go for c).

But in order to justify the high selling price the 50d models will inevitably have, they've had to milk the M brand once again, when in reality, these diesel models have no business being mentioned in the same breath as the M division. No doubt clueless BMW salesmen the world over will be describing the diesels as being M products and spouting complete and utter BS to slick lower management types keen to be seen with the latest and greatest M product. Even the M badge on the back of that X6 looks like it's been stuck on afterwards by a well meaning, but ultimately silly fool trying to pass off their oil burning rep mobile as an M car. A new low has been reached. Can the last person to leave Garching please turn out the lights.

b) to leverage the M brand to make BMW's diesels more sporty, rather than just efficient ?

"Leverage". A buzzword used by management and those who aspire to become management. It used to describe an advantage gained by using a tool. Later it became a term used to describe corporate debt. For example, a leveraged buy-out is one where the buyer has to borrow money in order to buy the other company.

After much mis-use, the word leverage no-longer describes anything or have any meaning to anyone who has ever worked in an office.

in business circles this word is most commonly used in place of the word 'use'.
Steve: Can we take this off-line, I'm hungry. I'm going to leverage a sandwich.
Paula: Great idea, I could also leverage some food.
Steve: Come on then, we can leverage my car to get to the sandwich leverager.
Paula: Good leverage, we should leverage your leverage so we'll leverage
Steve: Leverage

Urban Dictionary: leverage

 

[Beemer B773ER]

But in order to justify the high selling price the 50d models will inevitably have, they've had to milk the M brand once again, when in reality, these diesel models have no business being mentioned in the same breath as the M division.

Firstly, I agree that leveraging the M brand is unnecessary and again just ///Marketing. ...but, I'm not completely convinced of your reason as to why they've resorted to more dairy farming of M-Division. Why would BMW have to use M to justify the high selling price of a 50d model when they haven't had to for their 50i models? If a 50d model is priced a tad higher than a comparative 50i model, that difference should be attributed to more efficient diesel powerplant. In Europe I imagine a 50d would be preferred over a 50i, so I don't see why they would feel compelled to add the 'pimped out by M Division' M-badge simply to justify price.

Initially I though this Mxxd was a strategy similar to Audi's model progression of regular model (eg: A4), sportier variant (S4), all-out performance variant (RS4).....but the fact that these Mxxd models will be exclusively diesel, and have little to no styling differentiation to the standard model, it seems this is not the case. IMO, I believe it has more to do with the first option I listed (a).

 

[Betty Swollocks]

If a 50d model is priced a tad higher than a comparative 50i model, that difference should be attributed to more efficient diesel powerplant. In Europe I imagine a 50d would be preferred over a 50i, so I don't see why they would feel compelled to add the 'pimped out by M Division' M-badge simply to justify price.

Because although the stigma of diesels in Europe has almost completely disappeared, getting people to part with the kind of cash required for a 50d will be a challenge. Hence trying to sweeten the deal by apparently sprinkling it with some magic M fairydust.

It's the same thinking which saw BMW release the 135i Coupe with the M Sport package included. The selling price was on the high side for what is BMW's entry level coupe, so throw in something extra.

 

[Sunny]

Why are you guys so sure M didn't develop the engine? Not saying that BMW is not capable of throwing an M in there just for charging higher price, but it could very well also be because M did work on the engine and/or some other part of the car (like 1M).

 

[Beemer B773ER]

Why are you guys so sure M didn't develop the engine? Not saying that BMW is not capable of throwing an M in there just for charging higher price, but it could very well also be because M did work on the engine and/or some other part of the car (like 1M).

I don't doubt that some M engineers were involved in the development of the engine, but surely that alone shouldn't be enough to slap on an M badge. The Z4 35is features an engine that was worthy enough to put into an M model, yet it isn't given any M designation (which is even more strange, because unlike the 5er, X5 and X6, the Z4 isn't even offered in an M version, so milking the M badge would have made even more sense).

Because although the stigma of diesels in Europe has almost completely disappeared, getting people to part with the kind of cash required for a 50d will be a challenge.

But what makes getting people to part with the kind of cash required for a 50i any less challenging? In Europe I'd imagine a 50d -vs- 50i would be a no-brainer in favor of the former.

I'm not sure how much the US market is contributing to this strategy considering their love for large, V8-powered vehicles, yet their outdated mindset on diesel engine technology. Maybe a simple M badge will give BMW's diesels are sportier-edge ?? Doubt it.

Is this M's way of warming people up to the idea of diesel powered M cars ?


I guess my key questions are:

- What is the strategy behind creating these half-cooked M models?
- ...and why are they exclusively diesel?

 

[Sunny]

I don't doubt that some M engineers were involved in the development of the engine, but surely that alone shouldn't be enough to slap on an M badge.

I don't know what you mean by "some M engineers were involved", it kind of makes it sound like you are trying to parse the degree of M's involvement. Fact is, no one knows at this point what M's extend of involvement is or if they even involved at all. So no point in going there.

What I am saying is that if the engine (and/or other major parts of the car) was indeed developed by M, I don't see it donning the 'M' moniker as a cynical move to jack up prices. Again, I am not saying I know that is the case, but if they did work on it, why not have their name on it.

The Z4 35is features an engine that was worthy enough to put into an M model, yet it isn't given any M designation

I don't think it is the same. There is a big difference between naming something M cause "it is worthy" vs naming it M cause it was actually developed by M. A bad analogy would be, a painting by Picasso would be signed as Picasso (no matter how bad it is), but a Braque wouldn't be signed as a Picasso no matter how good it is. I know it is a bad analogy, but you get the gist.

ps. A better example to illustrate your point would have been the Z8, it actually had a M engine, but was't named M, but I think the reasons for that was completely different. Another one would have been 850CSi.

- What is the strategy behind creating these half-cooked M models?
- ...and why are they exclusively diesel?

Why do you say they are exclusively diesel? M's been doing "half-cooked M models" for a long time - M535i, M635i and of course now 1M. Looks like they are trying their hand in diesel now (that is if it turns out they did have a hand in it). I for one, am glad the diesels are the "half cooked" models and not full on ones.

 

[klier]

I guess my key questions are:

- What is the strategy behind creating these half-cooked M models?
- ...and why are they exclusively diesel?

Why don't you just forget about this marketing stuff and just recognise the new engine for what it is. It is made by BMW or M or both, but it's from BMW AG and BMW is the only brand in the world with this engine.

Stop thinking into it overly much, it's fairly simple. They can call it M because it b%# slaps the competition all over the face. And adding M usually means being able to ask more money..

Why do you say they are exclusively diesel? M's been doing "half-cooked M models" for a long time - M535i, M635i and of course now 1M. Looks like they are trying their hand in diesel now (that is if it turns out they did have a hand in it). I for one, am glad the diesels are the "half cooked" models and not full on ones.

Exactly. I fail to see all the negativity again.

 

[klier]

Because although the stigma of diesels in Europe has almost completely disappeared, getting people to part with the kind of cash required for a 50d will be a challenge. Hence trying to sweeten the deal by apparently sprinkling it with some magic M fairydust.

It's already a big challenge to sell a 550i in Europe. A diesel version of that car (that's what M550xd will be, despite being an I6) will likely sell better because of much better fuel economy, and you know all about the gas prize here...
Do agree on the M fairydust part though

 

[Betty Swollocks]

But what makes getting people to part with the kind of cash required for a 50i any less challenging? In Europe I'd imagine a 50d -vs- 50i would be a no-brainer in favor of the former.

Because all things being equal, a petrol engine is (in most cases) more desireable. Certainly to the people who can afford a 50i. As good as diesels engines are, their main benefit is better fuel economy. Certainly in Europe, the 50i in the X5/X6 is a VERY low seller. So BMW are trying to find a way to get people to part with as much money as it would take to buy a 50i. Enter the 50d. But for the same reason you don't get a diesel Rolls-Royce, the higher the premium the car, the less attractive a diesel power plant becomes. Hence the addition of M to make it seem more desireable.

What I am saying is that if the engine (and/or other major parts of the car) was indeed developed by M, I don't see it donning the 'M' moniker as a cynical move to jack up prices. Again, I am not saying I know that is the case, but if they did work on it, why not have their name on it.

I think the problem is that M didn't need to be invloved in the first place. BMW have enough good engineers and a lot of experience in building diesel engines, why do they even need to go to M? They don't. But by getting M involved, it allows marketing to say "developed by M" and therefore get the halo effect.

I think it's cynical.

 

[gmag]

Scott 27, when is the LCI X6 set to be officially unveiled? As the X6 was the first bmw car to receive the twin turbo v8 engine, will it also be the first to receive the updated twin turbo v8 with valvetronic?