X6 Intro and spy pics

[LeMansX5]

BMW X6 - Sports Activity Coupe (SAC)

The car will be labeled as SAC = sport activity coupe. Sport for performance, activity for higher ground clearance & AWD, coupe for shape.

Space will not be the issue - car will be able to carry 4 people & their personal luggage comfortably. It won't be a utility vehicle, but a sports coupe with a higher seating. Kind a all purpose coupe.

BMW sees X6 as a Porsche Panamera, Mercedes CLS, AM Rapide etc competitor. When MB & Co. are presenting bold idea - 4 or 5-door coupes, BMW are going even further: presenting 5-door all purpose activity coupe.

Engines ranging from a V-8 with either 340 hp or 450 hp, to a V-10 with 612 hp which will get the ///M badge.

X6 test mules as shown below look like X5.









Quote from BMW sources.

BMW like to think of the forthcoming SAC (Sport Activity Coupe) X6 (coded E72) as a five door 911 rival - as the Cayenne is in another segment and a different type of vehicle. Of course BMW are expecting the next interpretation of the Cayenne to be very different from it's current state once the X6 is established.

Dynamic design for a new class of vehicle.

The X6 will be a five door but will not be confused or marketed as the X5. X6 will be worlds apart both in approach , design and dynamics

The brief...

In popular Activity spots such as Winter sports resorts populated by Range Rover , Cayenne etc.. and of course X5. These are mainly " other" cars to the city based performance cars nesting in their respective garages.
BMW would like to offer something with a taste of both worlds for their customers - something with luxury and performance , style and capability. The all purpose coupe.

Off The Wall...

A new segment and a new market in its infancy the competition design brief signalled to tap into this brave new world - create something that offers a radical approach to convention a phrase always used by BMW design " Defy Convention". After months of design and debate and conception the final proposal has now been selected by the BMW board of management described by BMW's designers as "Off the wall".

The overall shape of the X6 that will make it into production offers a very forward looking visual experience - the overall shape is that used to the XCoupe concept car a hatchback cum coupe with the rear hatch opening functioning like the forthcoming Z4 Coupe. The overall design offers adventurous elements such as stacked triangular headlights on each of the front wings a wide twin kidney grille with preforated grille slats as seen on land Rover products but was shown on the 2001 XCoupe concept.

The next generation of the twin kidney grille will be like a twin shell with an outer - reverse shape with the inner slats as normal.

The X6 will feature on evolutionary "surface" approach to the design, with the headlights forming into surfaces that ride into the shoulder line melting the bodywork all the way to the rear lights following form with the front of the car triangular in shape joined at each end along the trunk lid with a long chrome element.

Ideas and Influences

One of the many challenges for the design brief was that it is to be not a conventional BMW just as the CLS Mercedes-Benz is not a conventional mercedes. Of course the CLS was wheeled in for influence.
Many interior aspects take their ideas from modern influences such as iPod, Winter sports equipment, and yacht equipment: precision milled materials delicate with an expensive look - a feature that will form the next generation of BMW interiors.

The SAC will not be seen as a regular SUV - space will not be an issue: four will sit in comfort but the car will not detract from its persona = performance and dynamics .

Headed by the V8 with the indevelopment Variable Twin-Turbo NG V8 with an expected output of 400 BHP+, and a a platform for a V10 powered ///M variant.
Diesel will be catered for with V8, and indevelopment that will also surface in next 7er: a V10 diesel.

Such a vehicle is essential for BMW to keep to its core of producing visually dynamic groundbreaking products