AUTO RED BOOK REVIEW: 2011 BMW X6

On The Cover Review: 2011 BMW X6

If you were to put a sporty, coupe-like roof on a bulbous SUV body, you would nail the concept of BMW’s unusual X6.  If you want something that handles like a crossover, but has the interior limitations of a four-door sedan, this is the one for you.  At first blush, it’s easy to ask, “why?”  Fashion probably plays into a big part of the answer.  There has to be some kind of statement being made by someone who shells-out anywhere from 56- to 90-large for a vehicle that cuts the same swath of destruction as a more space-realized SUV (in this case the BMW X5) with all of the drawbacks and few of the advantages.  But lest you confuse this vehicle as a big middle finger to the world, you can opt for BMW’s Active Hybrid feature, which combines dead dinosaurs with dead Ben Franklin to achieve gas mileage numbers that achieve less than 20-mpg.  Of course, that is happening with a 4.4-liter V8 that churns out 480-hp.  The X6 is a love-it or hate-it affair.  Either you love the styling, and are willing to deal with a little less practicality than a comparable, traditional SUV or crossover, or you don’t understand the point and stay clear.  Whatever your position, there’s no denying that the X6 is one of the most unique entries in its field.