You know what they say when you have something good going; hang on to it with both hands and never let it go. BMW discovered a new niche in the soft crossover and SUV segments with the original X6 and it paid off big time with the Bavarians selling nearly a quarter of a million of them since launch in 2008.
To the delight of Munich’s number crunchers, the X6 was nothing more than an X5 wrapped in a sportier body with a coupe-like roofline, so the development costs were very low.
BMW not only presented a second generation of the X6, but it also applied the same formula on a smaller and more affordable model called the X4, based on the mechanicals of the latest X3. And when say identical recipe, we mean it; the new X4 and the second iteration of the X6 have the same coupe-inspired silhouette and even styling details like the bold front end and muscular haunches.
Now, if you’re wondering about how they differ in size, at 4,909mm long (193.3 inches), 1,989mm (78.3 inches) wide and 1,702mm (67 inches) tall, the new 2015 X6 is 238mm (9.4 inches) longer, 108mm (4.3 inches) wider and 78mm (3.1 inches) taller than the X4.
The new X6 also rides on a 2,933mm (115.5 inch) wheelbase compared to the X4’s 2,810mm (110.6 inches). In theory, these numbers should translate into a distinguishable difference in passenger space between the two models.
Engine-wise, the X4 will get a choice of four-and six-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines (the latter at least in Europe), while the X6 gets the same straight-six units plus a tri-turbocharged six diesel for the M50d and a pair of bi-turbocharged V8 gasoline mills for the xDrive50i and the next X6M.
Since many of you have been asking for a side-by-side gallery, we put one together with the first generation X6 (see how it compares to the Mercedes MLC Concept here), the new X6 and the smaller X4. Check it out below.
By John Halas
PHOTO GALLERY
