The X6 packs more than decent performance and it surprises with its quickness. True, the weight can be felt in most actions, but it’s the way the car’s systems dismiss it like an insignificant second thought that truly astonishes. It blasts to 100 km/h from standstill in just 6.7 seconds and hits a claimed 240 km/h top whack. It can handle high speeds with ease and even at 130 km/h there is so much more acceleration on tap. Even corners are handled well with only a hint of body-roll creeping in, and that too only in tight bends. It uses steel discs good enough to bring this 2,180-kg SAC to a halt from 100 km/h in just 2.99 seconds. All, of course, without the slightest bit of drama. That’s the encouraging bit. It lets you have fun, and that’s important.
What’s more important is how it feels. The cabin is huge and airy, at least up front, and the seats are phenomenally comfortable. The headrest uses a hard casing with plush leather where the back of your head rests on it. Very appreciated. The multi-way adjustable seats, including the extended thigh support, make for not just ergonomic, but relaxed seating — something which lets you enjoy driving for hours on end.
The conveniences match the comfort, and among the biggest boons is the 360° camera with an option to switch to just one angle if required. 
Night Vision is another very useful feature, especially when driving in poorly illuminated areas after dark. Finally, the inclusion of six air-vents in the dash allows for much better cooling. The dash itself and the trim surround are rather unique. The wood trim on the doors is not flat and buffed, it has a 3D feel, and, together with the aluminium accents, makes for a very elegant layout. The iDrive controller and wide centre screen make using the infotainment system easy. The head-up display (HUD) also shows the track list if you happen to have music playing. There’s also a 20-GB hard drive, to store your favourite tunes, and a high-quality surround-sound audio system.
Back to the drive. The highway was done with and the X6 was now facing a 25° incline, complete with gravel, wet grass and potholes. A little slip at first, but then the climb began; faultlessly, I may add. Small rocks the size of large burgers lay strewn all over the surface and while they weren’t sharp, they were slippery enough to cause injury if one happened to slip while on foot. Moving around, exploring the hill-side, climbing more inclines covered in rain-soaked grass had the xDrive system on its feet, but apart from a few split-second slips, there was always traction to be found. I believe the fat rubber needs to be thanked there too.
I have to be honest. I didn’t really think I would like the X6. I did take the last-gen model for a spin only a couple of months ago, but spending time with it over varied terrain puts things in perspective. It isn’t exactly an agile sports car, but, as the ‘M Sport’ badge – which is earned – tells you, it is dynamically gifted. It’s got a decent 4×4 driveline, too, and it can handle quite a bit of rough terrain, even dealing with inclines. Even on the fuel efficiency front, it manages up to 10 km/litre on the highway. With just over eight km to the litre overall, a driving range of 700 km is not bad at all. The other important number is Rs 1.15 crore. That’s the ex-showroom asking price for the diesel M Sport version. If you want to be different and have exclusivity at the top of your list, go right ahead and order one of these.
Need something more powerful? There’s the X6 M with all of 575 PS and 750 Nm. We’ve driven that too!
