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German superpower: The complex
408kW twin-turbo V8 engine (bottom
right) has explosive performance.
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gearbox with paddle shifters sends
drive to all four wheels, distributed
continuously according to road
conditions and driving style – up
to 100 per cent of torque can even
be delivered to the front wheels if
necessary – and with the assistance of
a raft of electronic control systems.
Brakes are massive 19-inch highperformance
discs using lightweight
technology with ‘virtually’ no fading,
BMW says, while the steering is a
hydraulically powered Servotronic
system, with a ‘Sports Mode’ setting
via an M Drive button that sharpens
high-speed cornering and control
capabilities.
BMW Australia launched the highperformance
SUV on the challenging
Phillip Island race circuit near
Melbourne, the thinking being that
the X6 – always the most car-like of
all the luxury SUVs – is transformed
in M form into a vehicle of almost
supernatural ability, response and feel
for a 2.5-tonne elephant.
And it’s true – this BMW bends
the rules the moment you tip it into a
corner, since the combination of a trick
rear diff, xDrive all-wheel drive torque
transfer, a hydraulically controlled
anti-roll bar, and car-like front and rear
suspension design create an SUV that
is much closer to a sports sedan than
a truck.
Throw in the explosive 4.4-litre twinturbo
petrol V8 with a set of lungs deep
enough to blow Dorothy from Kansas
to Krypton and you have the makings
of an epically powerful machine.
And all this is in normal mode. Slot
the auto-only lever into Sport, press the
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