2014 BMW X6 | new car review

Looks
Ever wondered if the Hunchback of Notre-Dame had a car, what it would be? Well, I’m pretty certain it would be the 2014 BMW X6, and I know I’m not the only one who sees a similarity in their physiques. With slimmer headlights, revised fog lamp housings, a prominent boot decklid, a fast sloping roof line, along with several curves and protruding lines along the body, the X6 follows the ‘fluidic sculpture’ design philosophy better than a certain Korean manufacturer does.

Feels
Soft leather matched with carbon fiber and silver trim is what we’ve come to expect from the German brand, and the X6 doesn’t disappoint on that. With double decker A/C vents on either end, and a dashboard that declines as it nears the passenger side, you soon realize the interior bears an uncanny resemblance to its elder brother, the BMW X5. With the sloping roof line eating up rear headroom and cargo space, along with narrow door openings limiting entry and exit, rear seat passengers are unlikely to be comfortable for long periods of time.

Engineering
The saving grace for those put in the back seat though is that they can watch TV, play games or surf the internet and thanks to the headphone option, without disturbing others. The 8-inch monitor with DVD player and optional DVB-T tuner is placed between the front seats and thanks to its AV port, the monitor has an option for connecting laptops or gaming consoles and can be conveniently operated by wireless remote control.

What’s on offer?
Two engine options that both receive the Twin Turbo treatment is the way BMW has opted to play its cards. The 3.0 litre V6 fitted in the X6 35i produces 306 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque, which translates to a satisfactory 0 – 100 km/h time of 6.7 seconds. But the throaty 4.4 litre V8 fitted in the X6 50i bumps the figures up to 407 horsepower and 600 Nm of torque while demolishing a 0 – 100 km/h run in just 5.4 seconds.

Summing it…
Its design clearly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and maybe the designers needed to be more creative with the interior. But the question remains, would you pay between AED 310,000 and AED 400,000 for a car that look like the Hunchback of Notre-Dame? I know I wouldn’t.