2010 BMW X6 M

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There are few SUVs that can't be made better by jamming in a few more horses under the hood, in my opinion. I'm not a big fan of the BMW X6 -- too little utility for the footprint. So, how would the souped-up 2010 BMW X6 M suit me? The 2010 BMW X6 M has a base price of $89,875 ($98,925 as tested), a 4-year/50,000 mile basic warranty, free scheduled factory maintenance for 4 years/50,000 miles and EPA fuel economy estimates of 12 city/17 highway. Let's drive.

Larger Exterior Photos: Front Rear

Try as I might, I just can't fall in love with the X6's bodywork. Where others see sporty and swoopy, I see Pontiac Aztek. Actually, the Aztek has it over the X6 when it comes to sightlines. X6's rear window slopes so severely that it has all the visibility of a mail slot from the driver's seat.

Around front, the BMW signature twin-kidney grille stands out like the nostrils on a snorting bull. The M design cues are subtle but impactful. Where the non-M X6 has some black protective cladding around its lower extremities, the M version is all body-colored. BMW says that this choice "accents the fact that the Ms are intended mainly for on-road use." (As if the non-M X6 was some kind of mud-bogger.) Above and behind the 20" M wheels with super low-profile rubber bands, each front fender sports an M "gill." A nice chrome "M" lets the fool behind you know that you're driving an expensive SUV, and round quad exhausts give a hint that you'll be in the next time zone before the fool can pull around to ask you, "How much?"

Larger Interior Photo

The devil is in the details, and so is the M package. A special "M" steering wheel wears four toggle switches to access telematics, and two substantial paddle shifters (left down, right up) live on the back of the wheel. Two-color stitching secures the leather cover around the beefy rim. Drivers with small hands might feel like an infant holding on to a father's thumb, but I liked the substantial feel of the "M" wheel. The simple instrument panel gets the "M" treatment as well, in case you were able to look past the logo on the steering wheel you'll still be reminded of your car's lofty status. In the footbox, a big chromed "M" dead pedal provides a perch for your left foot, but your business foot has to make do with ordinary rubber-covered pedals.

My test vehicle had all of the luxury options piled on top of the M package. The Driver Assistance Package ($1,800) is a must, because it includes a rear view camera with top view. Without a rear view camera, parking the X6 is a total crapshoot.

X6 M's second row works great for a pair of adults, as long as they're not too long of torso. A center console provides functionality in place of seating. The second row folds nearly flat, leaving an oddly shaped cargo compartment with limited headroom and 59.7 cubic feet of space. Behind the second row, you can cram 25.6 cubic feet of soft luggage. The X6 M's payload is just 937 lbs, meaning that if you and your three buddies want to go out for a night of bowling, if anybody has more than two balls you might have to leave one behind.

The M experience is about more than luxury. The M experience is about performance. And this is where the X6 M shines. Under the hood, the heart of the beast is a twin-turbo 4.4 liter V8 that spits out 555 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque. The torque band is particularly wide, with peak thrust available from 1,500 rpm all the way up to 5,650 rpm. That's up 105 hp and 50 lb-ft of torque from the X6 xDrive50i, and 255 hp and 200 lb-ft of torque up from the X6 xDrive35i. That's rocket ship category. BMW claims that the X6 M can go from 0 - 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, and I believe them.

Having all of that power on tap means nothing if you can't deliver it to the pavement. The X6 M delivers power to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission and xDrive, BMW's all-wheel drive system, calibrated in the M to provide a rear-wheel bias for a more sports car feel. Big brakes and calipers work with anti-lock technology and Dynamic Performance Control to control power front-to-rear and side-to-side. The level of sophistication is astonishing, and totally transparent to the driver. It just works. You can dial in levels of intervention for different conditions, personalizing the X6 M's settings to your needs.

Unfortunately, the laws of physics cannot be overcome, even by BMW. Mass is mass, and when you start shoving the 5,324 lb X6 M through some corners, you realize why the "M" steering wheel is so beefy. You've got to hold on tight, and counter movement with muscle. The X6 M is like a big defensive lineman who can run a 4.0 forty-yard dash. As long as it's moving in a straight line, look out. Changing direction happens deliberately, and with consequence.

Once you take the utility out of an SUV (BMW calls the X6 M a "Sports Activity Coupe"), I start to lose interest. While I love the twin-turbo V8 power of the X6 M, I was constantly aware of the compromises that the package around the engine was forcing on my driving style. I would be much more likely to choose the X5 M than the X6 M, which adds a fifth seating position and actual usable cargo space to the equation. Then, I might be able to justify all the power on tap by convincing myself that I was driving a useful vehicle.

There are other over-the-top SUVs with massive power. The Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG cranks out 503 hp. The Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged produces 510 hp. The Porsche Cayenne Turbo makes 500 hp. The modest Infiniti FX50 limps along with a mere 390 hp. Each offers a different take on the big power/sporty SUV balance.

It's not the looks of the X6 M that would keep me from buying one, it's the functionality. I didn't get enough thrills exercising all that power knowing how hard I was going to have to work to manage all that mass when it came time to change direction. An SUV without the U cannot be cured by throwing more horsepower and torque into the mix.

Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.