BMW’s X6 is getting redesigned for 2020 with beefier engines and, for the first time, an optional illuminated kidney grille.
The 2020 X6 will start at $65,295, including shipping, and arrive at U.S. dealerships in November.
The X6 was an early coupelike crossover and remains one of the most visible. It also underscores the continuing fragmentation of the crossover market.
BMW foresaw the “growth-inspired fragmentation” of the crossover market when it introduced it in 2008, AutoPacific analyst Ed Kim said.
“It seemed a very puzzling move during a time when the formula for a successful SUV was pretty clear: an upright two-box profile and an outdoorsy personality,” Kim said.
It is a niche midsize crossover that competes in the same segment as the Lexus RX, Audi Q5 and Cadillac XT5.
“It is simply an X5 with a different top hat,” Kim said. “There are enough customers to justify the modest investment, especially as SUV market share continues to grow with increasing room for a body style variety.
“The sales in the U.S. fell 67 percent from a year earlier to 170 vehicles in June and dropped 18 percent to 3,045 vehicles through June, BMW said in a statement on Tuesday.
Bigger and beefier
The third-generation is longer and wider than its predecessor, but with a lower height for better aerodynamics.
The illuminated kidney grille, which debuts on the redesigned X6, is part of the daytime running light feature. It can remain on while the vehicle is in motion. The feature can be activated by unlocking and locking the vehicle or turning it on and off manually.
The crossover is available with two engines.
The car s XDrive40i and xDrive40i are powered by the latest versions of BMW’s TwinPower 3.0-liter turbo inline six-cylinder engine. The engine produces 335 hp, an increase of 33 hp over the previous model. The rear-wheel-drive sDrive40i accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. While the all-wheel-drive xDrive40i does the sprint in 5.3 seconds.
The sportier X6 M50i is powered by a new 4.4-liter TwinPower turbocharged V-8. It delivers 523 hp, an increase of 78 hp from the prior model. The M50i accelerates from a standstill to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds.
