BMW fills more luxury and performance niches than any other automaker, which is no doubt a costly undertaking yet certifies

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the brand fulfills the individual desires and requirements of each and every client.

Case in point is the unorthodox X6. Totally revised for 2015, with new styling that pulls cues from the recently updated X5, with a bolder front fascia featuring BMW’s new signature headlight treatment that butts up against the outer portions of its revised twin kidney grille, more muscular flanks and a rounder rear end sporting more complicated LED taillights, while classy dark brushed aluminum trim gets added to the grille, front-centre “skid plate”, brake vents, side-panel engine vents, mirror caps, liftgate lip and lower rear valance, contrasting nicely against my tester’s Alpine White paint. The look is fresh and even more aggressive

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than the original design, not to mention totally unique within its own Sports Activity Coupé segment.

Acura attempted to play ball with its brave but unappreciated ZDX, but alas it left the market after a dissonant quartet of years, once again making the X6 the only game in the SAC arena. Take note, however, Mercedes-Benz will soon fill ZDX shoes with its upcoming GLE, late to the party and uncomfortably similar to the X6 in profile, but nevertheless wearing a badge that should allow it greater success than the ill-fated Acura.

Despite its unusual half sports coupe, half SUV persona the X6 experiences surprisingly

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strong sales numbers, unless compared to the X5 that sells at almost five times the rate. Put into perspective, the 897 X6 models BMW Canada found homes for last year were nearly two times greater than the collective number of 6 Series Coupes, Convertibles and Gran Coupes sold during the same 12-month period, while also edging out 2 Series sales and more than doubling 7 Series deliveries on this side of the 49th. No wonder Mercedes wants in on the action.

Behind the X6′ handsome new grille is the same 3.0-litre inline-six as used with the outgoing model, sporting the same 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque thanks to twin-scroll turbocharging and direct injection, for a spirited 6.4-second charge

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from zero to 100km/h and a top speed of 210 km/h (130 mph). While most choose this base powerplant, my xDrive50i tester was equipped with BMW’s 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 good for an adrenalin-inducing 445 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque that allows for grin-inducing 4.8-second sprints from standstill to 100km/h and a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) when fitted with optional performance tires. That’s 45 extra horsepower and 29 lb-ft of added torque over the first-generation X6 xDrive50i, incidentally, while along with the revitalized powerplant’s exhilarating rush of speed is a particularly exuberant exhaust note, starting with a low loping rumble that resonates into a muffled roar as revs reach redline, the sound almost as invigorating as the pace attained.

A

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new eight-speed automatic makes sure that shifts are quick and indiscernibly smooth, unless the driver selectable adaptive suspension is toggled from Comfort or Normal mode to Sport or even better, Sport+, at which point each gear engagement is purposely felt from one positive increment to the next, a process only made more engaging via standard steering wheel paddle shifters.

Fortunately the X6 takes to the road even more confidently than the deft X5 it’s based on, its capability through the corners defying its SUV-like ride height. A bevy of S-curves made this point abundantly clear, just the beginning of a most satisfying road test that had me searching out each and every possible bend that came across my path. Fast paced highway stints are enjoyable too, the X6 tracking

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ideally with rock-steady stability and minimal crosswind effect, while its standard xDrive all-wheel drive minimizes concern over wet or otherwise slippery road surfaces. Likewise, around town the X6 is easy to maneuver in tight congested traffic, its relatively high seating position allowing for excellent forward visibility, whereas I didn’t find the small rear windows too challenging to see out of as long as I kept my eyes glancing at my mirrors.

From this vantage point it was easy to appreciate the many upgrades BMW made to an interior that was already impressive. Soft touch synthetics are almost everywhere including the lower extremities of each door, while stitched leather covered the dash top, lower dash portions, sides of the lower console, door uppers,

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door panel inserts, armrests, and of course the extremely comfortable and supportive seats. What’s more, beautiful glossy hardwood spanned the entire instrument panel before crossing each door, complemented by satin-brushed aluminum as well as greyish black lacquer-finished surfacing underneath the wood trim and surrounding the HVAC and entertainment system interface. This is a nice change from the trendy piano black plastic added to every interior from bargain basement Kias to a special edition Rolls-Royce Ghost I recently drove. Like the latter, all X6 interior detailing was absolutely superb. Actually, I’d say BMW is now leading in this respect, delivering fit and finish plus quality of materials that surpasses much of its competition.

This can also be said of its graphic interfaces. The customizable primary dials in the

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X6 are amazingly clear, the multifunction gauge package comprised of a 10.25-inch high-resolution TFT screen so accurate it’s hard to tell that it’s not the real analog deal. Likewise for the infotainment display atop the dash, whereas iDrive is now amongst the easiest of its type to navigate through while remaining one of the more comprehensive systems on the market.

The multifunction gauge package and infotainment display is standard X6 xDrive50i fare, as is navigation and a rearview camera, with other standard items including soft-close doors, BMW’s Lights Package which includes door exit lights and handle-area illumination that light up the entryway for 20 seconds when the doors are unlocked, auto-dimming interior and exterior mirrors, a powered tilt and telescopic

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heatable leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, a hi-fi audio system with two subwoofers located under the driver and front passenger seats, powered and heated front sport seats with memory, a powered glass sunroof, front and rear park distance control, a universal remote garage door opener, a powered liftgate, rear privacy glass, BMW Assist emergency call, an alarm system, aluminum running boards, adaptive bi-Xenon headlights with LED corona rings, LED fog lamps, 19-inch light alloy Y-spoke wheels on 255/50R19 Goodyear Eagle LS rubber, a full allotment of safety gear, no-charge scheduled maintenance and more for $83,190 plus $2,095 for freight and pre-delivery

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prep, which is $14,300 more than the base X6 xDrive35i that starts at $68,890 plus freight.

My xDrive50i tester was also equipped with an optional $5,900 Premium Package that added proximity sensing Comfort Access to go along with its pushbutton ignition, head-up display, Comfort front seats with adjustable lumbar support, heatable rear seats, automatic four-zone climate control, a surround-view camera, a ceramic-topped iDrive controller, a fabulous sounding Harmon/Kardon audio upgrade with satellite radio, rear side window sunshades, a storage compartment package including a track system with movable tie-downs for harnessing cargo, and active LED headlights with high-beam assist.

Available packages include a $1,500 Driver Assistance package with lane departure and collision warning, active blind-spot detection, and active seatbelts; a

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$500 BMW ConnectedDrive Services package including internet access, BMW Online and BMW Apps, advanced real-time traffic info, remote services, and concierge services; a $2,500 Nappa Leather Premium Seating package in Ivory White or Cognac Exclusive hides with an anthracite roofliner and ventilated front seats; a $2,900 BMW Individual package that gives you a choice of 10 exterior colours, three wood trims (one piano black), BMW Individual backlit doorsills, an Alcantara roofliner in anthracite, and unique 20-inch V-spoke alloys; and lastly a $2,900 M Sport package that includes unique front and rear bumpers and side sills, window trim surrounds in high-gloss "Shadowline" black finish, the choice of three 20-inch alloy wheel designs on performance tires, an adaptive M Suspension, an M leather sport steering wheel, an anthracite roofliner and a black ceramic iDrive controller.

Standalone

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options include a ski and snowboard bag for $395, the black ceramic iDrive controller for $575, ventilated front seats for $800, BMW’s Comfort Adaptive Suspension for $1,500, active steering for $1,650, the Dynamic Adaptive Suspension for $3,500, speed limit info for $350, park assist for $450, night vision with pedestrian detection for $2,500, Driving Assistant Plus for $2,500, convenience telephony with extended smartphone connectivity for $600, a rear entertainment system with two high-resolution screens integrated in the rear seatbacks for $1,950, and a 16-speaker, 1,200-watt Bang and Olufsen sound system upgrade for $4,900.

I shouldn’t forget to add X6 M specification to that list too, which includes numerous styling enhancements and go-fast features plus 21-inch rims wrapped in 285/35 front and 325/30 rear rubber, all topped off by a specially tuned version of

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the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 producing 575 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque resulting in a 4.2-second dash to 100km/h.

No matter the X6 model chosen, front seating should be accommodating for all body types, whereas rear seating will only be a problem for the excessively tall, BMW carving out the descending roofline for extra inches while delivering adequate rear legroom and more than enough hip, elbow and shoulder space. Active lifestyle folks will appreciate a slightly larger luggage compartment, now measuring 580 litres behind the 40/20/40 split-folding rear seatbacks, which when folded flat allow for a sizable 1,525 litres of cargo hauling capability.

As

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you can see the X6 isn’t only about style, it’s plenty practical too. Helping build this image are relatively efficient fuel economy numbers considering the available performance, the X6 xDrive35i rated at 13.0 L/100km city, 8.9 highway and 11.1 combined, whereas my X6 xDrive50i tester achieved a rating of 16.0 city, 10.9 highway and 13.7 combined.

For many the BMW X6 is the ideal cross of sport utility and sports coupe, and now with its 2015 makeover it’s got a new lease on life that should see it comfortably through the next four years even with the Mercedes’ copycat close on its heals.
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