BMW X6

New BMW X6 takes the eco route

BMW has unveiled the X6 at Frankfurt this week, and we have the first official pictures

Auto Express Car Reviews

14th September 2007

It's BMW’s take on the world’s ultimate hybrid – and we have the first official pictures.

Debuting at this week’s Frankfurt Motor Show, the X6 will mix the look of a sports coupé with the functionality and practicality of a 4x4.

With its impressive ground clearance and dramatic roofline, the new SUV has been given a highly aggressive look by BMW. Wide sills and aluminium underbody protection also give the car real off-road credibility.

But as well as setting new standards for design, the X6 will claim a number of technological firsts, too.

Most notably, it’s expected to be the firm’s first hybrid road car when it's launched in 2009. The powerplant combines a petrol engine with an electric motor.

Called ActiveHybrid, the system builds on BMW’s Efficient Dynamics technology – which includes a stop-start system as well as improvements to the efficiency of the combustion engine. It will also feature the first use of Dynamic Performance Control, essentially a highly developed traction control. As soon as the vehicle detects wheelspin, or possible over or understeer, it adjusts the power sent to each wheel. This improves stability on slippery surfaces and when accelerating out of corners, both on and off road.

Using the same chassis that will underpin the next X5, the X6 is also set to raise the bar for refinement. It’s likely to cost from £45,000.