Autocar - First for car news and reviews

This is BMW’s third X model. Its first was the X5, in 1999, which it claimed was the first Sports Activity Vehicle, because it was meant to be — and was, in truth — a decent drive on the road. That was followed by the X3 in 2003.

BMW didn’t show a concept of the X6 until the Frankfurt motor show in 2007. The production car had its debut at Geneva in March 2008, and BMW has already sold its first year’s allocation of the new X6.

It is, the company claims, a Sports Activity Coup...Read the full article

Hear we go again, we already have one possibly two threads regarding the X6 with plenty of views from the regular posters on this site and shock horror, we now have a third.

Can't think of anything else to say about this car that has not already been covered.

Within only a few years this sort of overweight, overwrought blingpanzer will be priced off the road in Europe (oil crisis, what oil crisis?) and the glam mummies who form the majority of buyers won't want to be seen queueing outside the school gates in something so environmentally unfashionable.

Anyway, let's look at the most memorable points of this review: 

"rides amazingly firmly ... urban ride is very unsettled, thumping and jiggling continually over scarred asphalt."

"doesn’t ride as well as it should"

"[no suspension setting] is sufficiently comfortable"

"Rear accommodation is less impressive ... anyone of above-average height will probably feel cramped"

"poor fuel economy"

"The options on our test car took it to a faintly ludicrous £55,965"

Four stars!? For what, the roundel on the front?

Thank heavens you can download this claptrap for free on the web rather than waste money having it printed on paper!

ThwartedEfforts:

Four stars!? For what, the roundel on the front?

My thoughts exactly. If this car were a Merc, Audi or indeed come from anywhere else, it would have for 3 or 3.5 stars. Apart from the fact that it is a BMW, i assume the class-leading handling won over Autocar even if everything was, well, average.

ThwartedEfforts:

Four stars!? For what, the roundel on the front?

Thank heavens you can download this claptrap for free on the web rather than waste money having it printed on paper!

Well I could not think of anything else to say but Thwarted has done us proud. Totally agree with your comments. I couldn't even be bothered/manage to read the blurb before posting.

 I think you'll find that the mazda CX-7 is the authentic FIRST Sports Actvivity vehicle.

Why do we seem to have this bias towards german metal ????

The CX-7 got reasonably good reviews from Autocar. I recall a few years back when the Cl class mecedes in 2002 "pioneered" active suspension that Lexus had alreday used in cars that they designed in 1991.

Wake up guys. If you don't know don't print !!!! 

theo a:

I think you'll find that the mazda CX-7 is the authentic FIRST Sports Activity vehicle.

Why do we seem to have this bias towards German metal ????

The CX-7 got reasonably good reviews from Autocar. I recall a few years back when the Cl class Mercedes in 2002 "pioneered" active suspension that Lexus had already used in cars that they designed in 1991.

But none of them have the coveted BMW badge on the front, so how can they be first.

Ve vill c zat nobody vill beat us.

I have only seen this car in pictures, but a friend of mine has seen the actual vehicle at its launch.

He told me that a number of people were hitting their heads, but I am not sure whether it was due to the low roof line or the boot lid.  I think someone even drew blood.  This hasn't come up in any review I have seen.  (Of course, most reviewers are scared stiff at saying negative things in a review as often manufacturers get their own back by being nasty when the next new car comes out...)

The load space I am told is very limited and an estate or station wagon has more space.  The consensus among those BMW owners invited to the launch was "so what?".

Like all BMWs, it appears to be well made and does most things well, and of course the badge seems to carry a bit of weight.  A bit like every German product- functional and efficient.

But, where is the soul in this vehicle?   And in this case, will anyone want to buy it?

Franco64:

But, where is the soul in this vehicle?

show me the soul in other cars.  the majority of cars don't have "soul", and much is in the eye of the beholder.

anyway, i saw 2 of these today.  one was on the move in a dark colour and looked quite neat.  the other was in white and was in the showroom.  it was enormous.  being in white it looked like an iceberg!

Great car from BMW once again, looks great and from the reviews I've seen all-round it's a success. It's just a pity BMW have so many haters, it's sad really, these people should get a life, but then again that's what you get when you are top of the tree, people always try (in vain) to cut you down. Stick to yer ugly Jag XF's boys, I mean what will they be worth in 5 years? A couple of grand??

blasos1983:

but then again that's what you get when you are top of the tree, people always try (in vain) to cut you down.

If memory serves me right, the only current BMWs that are best in class are the X6 and 3-Series Coupe. The 3-Series saloon/estate could be seen as best too, but the latest Merc C-Class has beaten the 3-Series on 2 occasions now in this mag yet on the back pages, the 3-Series is top. And the Mondeo has beaten the 3-Series too.

Otherwise, the Focus is the best small-mid size motor (not a 1-Series), the XF the best exec (not a 5-Series), the S-Class is the best luxury car (not the 7-Series) and the Boxster/Cayman is the best sports car (not the Z4). Even the 6-Series is bettered by every rival, while the X3 ain't the best either! And some of these models aren't even near the top of the tree.

The XF is a mess, the front is awful with hints of Daewoo about it. So you reckon it's better than the 5 Series because Autocar says so! I would have thought it was propaganda to get the sales of British marques up, just like the claims that the XK and the Range Rover were class leaders but as it turns they aren't even close. Did you ever hear of a BMW X5, no? Or a 1 Series Coupe? M3? M5? Fact is, BMW compete at the top of all sectors while all Jag can do is create a big furoré about a new model every 10 years that as it turns out consists of dated technology.