2012 BMW X6 M Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 BMW X6 M review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 X6 M, and includes BMW X6 M safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

The BMW X6 M is an exceptionally rare breed based on the polarizing X6 “Sport Activity Coupe.” Basically, BMW has thrown every possible performance upgrade onto this overweight and top-heavy SUV-style hatchback in an effort to make it drive more like a sports car. The result is unusual, and dare we say it? Impressive. Talk about “feats of strength.” And for you trivia buffs, the X6 M (along with its X5 M counterpart) is the first all-wheel-drive model to ever wear an “M” badge.

BMW is offering the 2012 X6 M with a new five-passenger seating option. Basically, the rear bucket seats get ripped out and replaced with a bench seat. The only other change this year is a newly standard iPod/USB port for the stereo system. Otherwise, the 2012 BMW X6 M carries over unchanged.

Equipped with a long list of standard features and available with a handful of options, the 2012 BMW X6 M is a well-equipped machine, as it should be for a price sitting just north of $90,000.

Let’s start by discussing the hardware that makes the X6 M different from the X6 xDrive50i. First off, the X6 M makes more horsepower and torque, put to the ground through an M Sport automatic transmission with paddle shifters feeding an M-tuned xDrive all-wheel-drive system and M-tuned Dynamic Performance Control torque vectoring system. Big 20-inch aluminum wheels and performance tires are stuffed under each corner, and the brakes are upsized to deal with added performance demands. The X6 M also gets an M Sport suspension with rear self leveling, Adaptive Drive with Active Roll Stabilization and Dynamic Damping Control, and M Drive with Dynamic Mode.

Inside, the X6 M includes heated 14-way power M sport front seats with memory for the driver’s settings, an M leather-wrapped steering wheel with M Drive button, extended Merino leather upholstery, brushed aluminum interior trim, and an Anthracite headliner. Shadowline trim accents the X6 M’s exterior, which receives M-specific detailing and a set of M quad exhaust outlets.

Otherwise, the X6 M is equipped much like the X6 xDrive50i with a Premium Package. That means it has automatic climate control, a navigation system with real-time traffic information, a power sunroof, Bluetooth hands-free connectivity, and a 600-watt HiFi audio system with a CD/MP3 player, an auxiliary audio input jack, an iPod/USB connection, and HD Radio reception. Ambient cabin lighting is standard, and the X6 M has automatic Xenon adaptive headlights with corona-ring driving lights, rain-sensing wipers with heated washer jets, front and rear Park Distance Control, Dynamic Cruise Control, and a power tailgate.

Options are mainly grouped into packages. Climate-related features are found in the Cold Weather Package (heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, ski sack), the Rear Climate Package (four-zone automatic climate control, rear side window sunshades) and the Active Ventilated Seat Package (ventilated 20-way multi-contour front seats with active bolstering for the driver). A Full Merino Leather Package dips most of the cabin in cowhide, a Premium Sound Package adds a better sound system and satellite radio, and a Driver Assistance Package includes automatic high-beam headlights, a heads-up display, and a rear- and top-view camera system.

In addition to these option packages, the X6 M can be equipped with a rear-seat entertainment system and a six-disc DVD changer, a side-view camera system, a Comfort Access keyless entry system, and BMW Apps with full smartphone integration. Soft closing automatic doors are available, and BMW won’t charge a penny for replacing the rear bucket seats with a three-passenger bench seat. Buyers can also swap the standard brushed aluminum cabin trim out for piano black, carbon leather, or red brown grained wood trim at no charge.

The X6 M is powered by an M-tuned, direct-injected, twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine making 555 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 500 pound-feet of torque between 1,500 and 5,650 rpm. An M Sport six-speed automativc with Adaptive Shift Control and paddle shifters distributes the power to the ground through an M-tuned version of BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system. Acceleration to 60 mph takes just 4.5 seconds, stunning considering the X6 M’s 5,324 pounds.

Of course, dipping into the throttle is likely to put you below already dismal EPA fuel economy ratings. This “coupe” is rated to return 12 mpg in the city and 17 mpg on the highway, guzzling premium fuel the entire time. Ouch.

Just as the X6 M exhibits no shortage of standard features, it provides an impressive list of safety equipment. As expected, the X6 M has six airbags, a traction and stability control system, and a robust set of antilock brakes. What makes the braking system particularly noteworthy are enormous four-wheel ventilated-disc brakes with brake-force distribution, cornering brake control, dynamic brake control, brake fade compensation, brake drying, brake stand-by, start-off assistant, and brake regeneration.

In addition to these basics, the X6 M has BMW Assist telematics with a free four-year subscription to the Safety Plan. Adaptive Xenon high-intensity discharge headlights are also standard, along with front and rear Park Distance Control and rain-sensing wipers. Safety-related options include a rear-, top-, and side-view camera systems and automatic high-beam headlights.

Neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has performed crash tests on the BMW X6 M, which is not surprising at all considering these agencies have limited budgets and the X6 M is a rare, high-priced vehicle.

In terms of reliability, only J.D. Power and Associates makes a prediction, and it applies to all X6 models rather than specifically to the M variant. J.D. Power expects the X6 to provide slightly better than average dependability over time.

The good news is that the BMW X6 M delivers 100-percent worry-free motoring for the first four years of ownership. The warranty is good for four-years/50,000-miles, and the X6 M includes free scheduled maintenance for the duration of the warranty and four years of free roadside assistance no matter how many miles you drive.

The BMW X6 M might be the fastest version of the X6, but it has the worst front-to-rear weight distribution at 52.4/47.6.

Some interesting specifications for the X6 M include its eight inches of ground clearance, 0.38 coefficient of aerodynamic drag, 5,324-pound curb weight, and 155-mph top speed.

The X6 M’s M-tuned xDrive all-wheel-drive system splits power 40 percent to the front wheels and 60 percent to the rear wheels under normal driving conditions. Additionally, an M-tuned Dynamic Performance Control (DPC) allows for the multiplication of torque to an individual rear wheel, producing a torque vectoring effect and helping to “steer” the X6. The DPC system makes the X6 M feel more agile and planted whether you’re accelerating or decelerating.

The BMW X6 M’s cargo capacity measures 25.6 cubic-feet with the rear seat raised, which, according to BMW, is enough room for four golf bags. With the rear seats folded, the X6 M can carry up to 59.7 cu-ft of cargo.

If you’re planning to drop $90,000 on a 5,300-lb. five-door hatchback with all-wheel drive and a Miata’s worth of cargo space more than a Kia Soul, do you really care about our view of the 2012 BMW X6 M? We thought not.

By Christian Wardlaw