Along with the X5 M, the X6 M used to sit at the very top of the M SUV hierarchy in BMW’s increasingly crowded lineup. The trio had to take a step back and make way for the much more expensive XM and its Label Red sibling. Still, if you want outright performance and save tens of thousands of dollars in the process, the X6 M remains the wiser choice.
It starts at $127,200 whereas the XM retails from $159,000 and will be soon joined by the XM Label Red from an eye-watering $185,995. Mind you, this new walkaround video doesn’t feature a standard X6 M since it has a few options thrown in, raising the final price tag to $138,895. However, the Black Sapphire Metallic is a no-cost extra and so are the Star-Spoke black wheels measuring 21 inches at the front and 22 inches at the rear.
It looks intimidating and shouldn’t raise as many eyebrows as the XM. The coupe-SUV genre is still controversial, but we’ve learned to live with it. Even mainstream automakers are now combining the two body styles, which goes to show there is a market for an SUV impersonating a coupe. While the larger X7 has gone through a radical facelift, the LCI applied to the X6 M Competition was evolutionary. Well, at least on the outside as the interior has been heavily modified to accommodate the iDrive 8.
This example has the M Driver’s Package to raise the electronic top speed limiter from 155 mph to 177 mph. A lesser-known item included with this package is the one-day driving class at a BMW Performance Center. The sinister X6 M Competition also gets a Bowers & Wilkins sound system with 20 speakers and 1,500 watts of audio power.
Inside the posh cabin finished in black Extended Merino leather is the Executive Package with front-massaging seats, soft-close doors, heated and ventilated front seats, LED panoramic roof, manual side window shades for the rear doors, along with heated rear seats. As for the Driving Assistance Professional Package also added to this build, it encompasses lane assist and active cruise control with the Traffic Jam Assistant and the Active Driving Assistant Pro.
It will be interesting to see whether X6 M sales will decrease now that the XM is out, but given the price discrepancy, the dedicated M model shouldn’t significantly impact sales of the more affordable performance SUV.
Source: Race Sport Media / YouTube
