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The new BMW X6 might look like an SUV, but it drives like a true BMW and catches all the eyeballs

It's impossible to consider driving a sports car in India without being dreadfully afraid of all those potholes and bumps. Until now that is. Enter, the BMW X6. This one might look like a sports utility vehicle, but that doesn't mean that it drives like one. It drives like a true-blue BMW, but with the ground clearance of an SUV. So BMW has dubbed this one a 'sports activity vehicle'.

Based on the X5, the jury's verdict is that the new car looks very much like its older cousin. But the fact remains that the X6 is styled very distinctively. The large kidney grille, strong waistline and coupu00e9-like roofline make the X6 very imposing it will turn heads.

The X6 is powered by the same 4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo direct-injection petrol engine as in the BMW 7-series.

Putting out 407bhp of power and 61kgm of pulling power, the X6 never feels like it weighs over two tonnes.

This one is quick off the line and has plenty of power all the way up to its redline.

The X6 does zero to 100kph in a scant six seconds while 200kph comes up in 25 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 250kph. Power is readily available right across the engine range. All you need to do is press the accelerator and be ready to be pinned back into your seat.

The engine power is nicely complemented by the responsive six-speed automatic gearbox. The engine and gearbox work in perfect harmony to give seamless and quick shifts, both up and down the gearbox. The paddle shifts on the steering wheel also work nicely.

Few cars feel as agile as the X6, and that's in spite of its over two-tonne weight. There is phenomenal grip from the massive 315 section tyres at the rear and the car sticks to the road as if it is on rails. When you put the X6 in sports mode, the suspension is further stiffened, so there is almost no body roll and the car feels supremely stable when you attack corners at higher speeds.

This phenomenal grip means that you will be driving the X6 at comparatively higher speeds than its rivals.

Plenty of electronic aids also ensure that in case you do something silly, the car still remains under control. You won't expect the combination of a stiff suspension and the huge 20-inch low-profile run-flats to tackle rough roads as well as they do. Yes, the X6's suspension is thrashy and some bumps will filter into the cabin. But the ride improves as the speed increases. Rival Mercedes M-class though is much more comfortable.

If you are looking for SUV-like space and practicality in the X6, you will be disappointed. The X6 is strictly a four-seater and the rear seats are quite cramped. Legroom is just about adequate. What the X6 really lacks is rear headroom, which is hampered mainly due to the tapering roof line. On the plus side, you get lots of shoulder room because of the wide body.

The front seats are superb with lots of space. The host of adjustments on the driver's seat and the adjustable steering make finding an ideal driving position a breeze. The X6's interiors have a lot in common with those in the X5, which is not a bad thing. Fit, finish and build quality, as in all BMWs, is superb.

Rear visibility is awful, mainly due to the small rear windscreen. This means reversing and parking in tight spots can be a pain. Parking sensors help, but a reversing camera should have been standard. You can have one fitted in for a whopping Rs 40,000 extra.

With a high kerb weight of 2,190kg and a big engine we never really expected this BMW to return good economy, still we didn't expect it to be so thirsty either. The X6 returned a guzzling 3.3kpl in the city and 5.1kpl on the highway.

Priced at Rs 1.09 crore (on-road, Mumbai), the X6 is hugely expensive. Though in its defence, it is superb to drive, blending strong acceleration with the agility of a sports saloon. But the four-seat layout and sloping rear roofline, which reduces rear headroom, do limit its appeal. So if you are looking for the practicality of an SUV, then look elsewhere. If you want a sports car with SUV appeal, or even vice-versa, then this car fills this tiny and expensive niche perfectly. Though you just might have to rob a bank to buy one, and rob another one to run it.

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