The 2024 BMW x6m competition, along with its mechanical twin, the BMW x5m competition, represents the ultimate two-row BMW SUV. This is for the man or woman who wants an over 600 horsepower hauler that they can take to the track, dominate the highways in, and of course, go from 0 to 60 in under 4 seconds.
This vehicle, as tested with destination, sits at an eye-watering $146,000. However, BMW will tell you, and I will largely agree with them, in the super SUV class of cars, this thing is technically a value proposition.
With things like the Ken Turbo GT from Porsche costing around $200,000 with similar options if not more, the Lamborghini Urus costing God knows what, $300,000, and the DBX 707 being 300 Grand, the BMW, at least compared to its exotic rivals, is a value proposition.
Variants and Differences
The X6 variant starts at $127,000. The X5, which is the non-coupe version of this, starts a little less than that. There’s like a $5,000 or $6,000 delta. The main difference between these two vehicles, other than the styling—the X6 being the coupe variant—is usable cargo capacity and rear roof line.
The X5M gets about two and a half feet of extra cargo capacity over this X6. The X6 beats it in being like 30 lbs lighter. This is still an incredibly heavy vehicle, as we’re going to talk about in the shop, but this is technically the sportier of the two.
Interior Differences
Now let’s talk about the differences from an interior perspective. As we’ve covered the X5 and X6 at this point ad nauseam, the difference is you get the M steering wheel with the M button pigtail. Obviously, you get all the M software to deal with all the drive modes.
You get M-specific seats when you get the executive package, which this car has. They’re heated, cooled, and massaging. They are actually very comfortable, hold you well on the track, and are good on long distances.
This also has the Bowers and Wilkins Diamond audio system optioned in, and it’s about a $3,400 option—well worth it, particularly when you’re blowing over $140,000 on a car. It does transform the day-to-day usability from an audio perspective of this vehicle.
Super SUVs: The BMW X6M
In the shop with the BMW X6M, I’m going to say this first—it’s very easy to be cynical of super SUVs. Why would you buy one of these things? They are so compromised. They cost so much. You could get an M2 and an X5 for the same amount of money.
While that is a valid point, the truth is these vehicles sell very well for manufacturers. BMW cares about this class of vehicle because people buy them. Same for Porsche with the Cayenne. The GLE63s sells great for what it is. The Urus is the best-selling Lamborghini. The DBX and the DBX 707 probably why Aston Martin still even has a business. These vehicles are important because people no longer buy sports sedans.
They’re looking for that do-everything solution product, which is the X6 and the X5M. They are track capable, albeit no one took M5s to the track, and no one’s going to take this thing to the track ever. But it will do an incredible lap time.
This thing is faster than an old Ford GT, a current generation FL5, and it’s faster than a 991.1 Carrera S around the track. You just have to look at the lightning lap times. It’s very, very impressive what they can do with modern engineering.
This would not have been capable 10 years ago. We did not have the electromechanical systems in play to get a car this big to go around the track. It really is remarkable.
Capabilities and Specifications
While it’s also track capable, it has to haul your family, be moderately comfortable, and go through the snow and have the ride height and all the luxury. So how did BMW accomplish it and what is this thing? The X6M is the lighter of the two body styles for this vehicle.
The X5M weighs 4500 lbs. This thing has a curb weight of 4450 lbs, so there’s like a 50-40 lb weight delta between these two vehicles. Obviously, there’s some trim differences and blah, blah, blah. This is on the CLAR architecture we’ve talked about ad nauseam.
They updated this vehicle. First off, it gets a new drivetrain—S68. It’s a twin-turbo V8 and makes, in this car’s case, 617 horsepower. It hauls, has all the track cooling you could ask for in a vehicle this big.
It has a ZF 8-speed gearbox with a specific M cooling plate for the transmission. You have trans coolers, and it now has a mild hybrid setup. It’s a 48-volt system.
The electric motor sits between the gearbox and the engine. It has like 170 or 140 foot-pounds of torque available from that electric motor.
Chassis and Ride Quality
Chassis-wise, it has multi-link front and multi-link rear with specific bracing throughout. They tried to negate some of the toe or tow change effects of having a vehicle that’s big in the rear.
Strangely, for this class of car, it does not have air ride. No air springs. It is on coil springs front and rear, and it has M-specific dampers front and rear, and obviously mounting points. The thing to note about the coil springs—this thing, I think largely due to the fact that it’s not on air and its intended mission, does suffer dramatically in the ride department.
This is at least, even in comfort mode, 20% stiffer than a regular X5 with a V8. It does ride quite harshly and it does not have the ride comfort of a Cayenne Turbo GT or DBX. There are many of its other competitors; it just doesn’t ride as well. Some of that might be due to the enormous wheels front and rear. For example, this thing has 295s in the front.
I think these are like 21s or 22s, which definitely has some of that big wheel ride. Strangely, when it comes to the steering, yes, it’s got VGRS and it is really, really quick feeling, but what it doesn’t have is rear steer. The steering in the front of this vehicle is so fast that if you didn’t know it didn’t have rear steer, you probably would assume it did.
It’s a little bit unnatural off center, and when you’re trying to yaw this thing out, yes, you can power slide an X6M, which is about as graceful as you can probably picture—a tall 4500 lb SUV going sideways. When you do have to correct for it, the steering is so fast off center that it doesn’t feel particularly normal, which things like the DBX and the Cayenne do better.
Track Performance
While that said, let’s head to the racetrack. Chris, we’re in the X6M around Autobon Country Club South. This was not a planned track day experience. I know you’ve spent less time in this vehicle than I have, and I’m sure about three owners are actually going to do this, but let’s walk me through—let me walk you through—what this thing’s like to drive at the limit.
This is the example of what modern engineering and electromechanical systems can accomplish with a big, big boat, right? This thing has got to be almost all things to all people.
It’s got to be an SUV, it’s got to hold things, it’s got to be 10 feet up in the air, ballistically fast in a straight line. Between the VGRS rack, the active sway bars, the MDM—you know, all the various systems—the enormous brakes, wheels, and tires, you can go out here and just fly in this SUV.
When you drove it, it is unbelievable how fast this thing is. It’s the ultimate yes-and car because it can do this, it can do that. Again, it’s the ultimate answer to every question of impracticality.
Real-World Impressions
It’s really easy to hate on vehicles like this, and we’ve driven—or I’ve driven—a lot of them at this point. I’ve driven the older Porsche Turbo Cayenne GT, the Aston Martin DBX 707, Bentaygas, the AMG GLE63.
Once I take my cynical car hat off and just try to appreciate the engineering that goes into these vehicles, if you need a one-car SUV solution, at least in this market, this is, for many people, for better or for worse, replacing that like M5, E63, RS6. People don’t buy sedans anymore, so instead, they buy lifted up SUVs, and they still want to go fast. This is what you’re left with.
Yes, on the road, which we should talk about—and we’ve obviously done the majority of our driving on the road in this thing—is it a little too stiff? Yes.
Is the fake engine noise I’m about to demonstrate for you really, really annoying? Yes, it is very annoying. When you turn it back on, I mean, look at here, mid-corner. Yes, that is stupid, but it is a very whimsical, weirdly whimsical SUV.
If you turn everything off, like I’ve just done, it will do—assuming I don’t kill us on a racetrack—power slides, which, you know, is something this big does not seem normal, or like you know you wanted to.
Driving Dynamics
Some of the inputs, Chris, like the steering—typical BMW SUV, ultra-fast. When you try to correct for oversteer, you don’t really have a good idea of what the front end is doing because it’s so fast and somewhat unnatural.
The brake pedal, because it’s an e-brake pedal, brake by wire like all the modern BMWs, you don’t have a great idea of what’s happening on the front end.
But again, on the street, you’re not correcting for big slides. You’re never really going to be threshold braking at 110 mph into a big braking zone like this. Who cares? You can do this—it tries to pick up a wheel.
Conclusion
So, what about the car? Well, the X6M is definitely a niche vehicle. It’s designed for someone who wants an incredibly fast, track-focused, two-row SUV. If you’re looking for that kind of capability, the X6M offers great value in its class. It’s really, really fast.
Personally, I prefer it over its closest rival, the GLE63. One of the reasons is the interior; it feels superior. Plus, the 8-speed transmission in the BMW is better tuned compared to the Mercedes. The drivetrain, the S68, is truly impressive.
However, when you compare it to more expensive rivals like the Cayenne Turbo GT and the DBX 707, the X6M does fall short in some areas. It doesn’t drive as naturally, and the ride isn’t as smooth. It lacks some flexibility, but on the plus side, it has a more usable interior space. And let’s not forget the price—it’s tens of thousands of dollars less than those competitors, making it a good value overall.
So, if you’re in the market for a super SUV, both the X5M and X6M are very compelling options. However, if you’re considering cross-shopping with a regular X5 M60, which we recently reviewed, and you’re mainly going to be street driving, the X5 M60 might be the better choice. It rides better, offers most of the performance you get with the X6M, and is significantly less expensive.
