Several years ago a diesel BMW M seemed science fiction. But the impossible became reality
and now here we have a SUV that reaches 100 km/h in just 5.3 seconds
and has a diesel engine under the hood with neither one, nor two, but three turbines.
This is BMW X6 M50d.
Basically, with this test, we kill two birds with one stone because the car in the video
shows us the X6 revised design (facelift) and, in addition, puts us face to face with
the most powerful diesel engine from BMW.
BMW X6 facelift comes with new headlights: they are somehow smaller and have squared angel eyes
and white light. Moreover, the test drive car is equipped with the latest
headlights technology available at BMW: Adaptive LED. Xenon lights are replaced
with LED both for the short and long beam. It is an option that costs 2,300 Euros
including VAT and worth every cent.
The facelift did NOT bring to X6 the dashboard and the instrument cluster from 1, 3, 5 or 7 Series.
So, the quadrants of instrument cluster have remained old-fashioned,
with analogical gauge for the instant fuel consumption and
a very small area for the electronic display.
The important thing to note about this X6 M50d is that it is not missing anything
related to comfort and practical aspects: it has electric operated tailgate from the interior
and key fob, the trunk’s floor benefits of a damper, and the space under it is very
generous and decently divided.
Seats are both comfortable and sporty, and the rear seats are surprisingly comfortable.
The seating is wide and slightly tilted backwards so that it excellently upholds the ocupants.
It has, of course as an option, four-zone climate control and the possibility
to adjust the front seats heat distribution between seat and back.
The only disadvantage of this car, from comfort point of view, like to any other X6,
is that people higher than 1.75 m will reach the roof with their heads if they sit in the back.
One option that you only find at BMW is the color head-up display, which is very helpful
when you do not want to take your eyes off the road. This option costs 1,450 Euros.
Another interesting option is the adaptive cruise control system that automatically
maintains the distance in relation to the car in front of you.
But if you buy a BMW X6 M50d will probably do it because of this!
Beyond the specific inscriptions on the tailgate and side skirts, you realize that you
have in front of you a BMW with a top engine from the more curved hood and the trapezoidal exhaust mufflers.
X6 M50d’s engine is the well known turbo diesel engine with inline 6 cylinders created by BMW
and appreciated by everyone who ever drove it. It has three turbines and develops
381 PS/HP, plus a maximum torque of 740 Nm. So there are nearly 400 PS/HP from a 3-liter diesel engine.
Sounds good, doesn’t it?
Actually, it doesn’t sound good... The biggest minus of the X6 M50d is the sound.
From acoustically point of view, you don’t feel for a second that you are in an M car.
It sounds like a powerful diesel and that is it, nothing special.
Beyond that, the performance is overwhelming. It reaches 100 km/h in just 5.3 seconds.
How does it accelerate? Something like this...
And when you think that X6 M50d weighs 2.2 metric tons, those 5 seconds are even more impressive.
The high weight is felt when braking and cornering. It is often felt in the body inertia.
Even so, the car can be almost flawless driven. The dynamics is very good thanks to the precise steering
and to the Adaptive Drive technology which eliminates the body roll when cornering.
BMW X6 M50d is 35% more expensive than the 30d popular version, but at the same time
it costs 30% less than X6 M. Thus positioned, X6 M50d is exactly as described:
a very good transition version between a regular X6 and the flagship.
The test drive car costs almost 112,000 Euros including VAT and the optional features.