X6 35i VS X6 35d. What should I choose?

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The risk is too high to order a 35i without driving one, so I suspect most of the initial orders will be for the 35d. I drove hundreds of miles comparing the 35i and 35d engines in the 3-series, and then driving the 35d engine in the X5 and if you look at each engine as standard then the 35d makes most sense.

The 35d feels more torquey than an X5 4.8i whereas the 35i has considerably less power and torque than an X5 4.8i. The market will therefore view the 35i as being less effortless to drive than the X5 4.8i and 35d, whereas in an SUV you really want as much torque as possible to make effortless progress.

The solution would be to tune the 35i engine which gives it as much power and torque as the x50i will have as standard, however most people will not choose this route hence the 35i will most probably be perceived as the 'slowest' petrol engined version.

The 35d is quite a good diesel engine, although I found it much less appealing than Range Rovers 3.6 TDV8 which has very little diesel rattle and quite a lot of V8 rumble. It's a pity that BMW don't offer a comparable engine, but the 35d sounds at least as nice as the 35i when cruising - its just not as sporty an engine.