By Frank Williams
April 4, 2008
BMW expects the U.S. to be their largest market for the X6 whatever-it-is when it goes on sale at the end of May for $52.5k. What this says about the tastes of the American car-buying public isn't quite clear but they're predicting half of the 40k annual production will find a home here. The next-largest markets will be the UK and Germany, which combined will only total about 10% of production. So who do they think will buy this… thing? Customers with astigmatism "who want a high-ride vehicle like an SUV but also sporty, coupe-style looks," according to Automotive News [sub]. The last time anyone attempted combining the two, we got the AMC Eagle SX-4 . Of course, there are those who would buy a Tata Nano if they stuck a BMW badge on it, so they probably won't have any problem unloading every one of these sedan/coupe/hatchback/crossover/SUV mish-mashes they build.
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POWERED
April 4th, 2008 at 7:21 am
What this says about the tastes of the American car-buying public isn’t quite clear
Word.
Since BMW has become status symbols as opposed to drivers’ cars (like Porsche Cayennes), I’m not surprised by this unfortunate development.
It makes me cringe to see a nice new 3-series driven under the speed limit by some yuppie on his/her cellphone.
April 4th, 2008 at 7:42 am
It’s… a car. I did a quick search for pictures thinking that was just a bad angle/color. I think lowering it 4-5″ might get it to 20k a year in the US.
April 4th, 2008 at 7:43 am
So, BMW thinks they’ll sell the majority of their SUV thingy to Americans. All I have to say is:
(insert Jeremy Clarkson mid-sentence pause)
“Well, duh.”
April 4th, 2008 at 8:17 am
So it’s a 3-series wagon for people with bad knees/backs. OK, now explain the markup to me again? And also why this is the same as the X3 or X5?
April 4th, 2008 at 8:26 am
RayH is right ….maybe if it sat lower
April 4th, 2008 at 8:31 am
Now I know how I’m going to get rid of all those AMC Concords I have piling up on my used car lot. I can sell them as CPO BMWs. Yes… I’ll certify that they are pre-owned.
brb, need to go buy some blue and white round badges……
April 4th, 2008 at 9:09 am
I don’t understand all the surprise from everyone. It looks similar in concept and design to the Infiniti FX35 and FX45, so I would expect the same type of market.
April 4th, 2008 at 9:55 am
ash78 :
So it’s a 3-series wagon for people with bad knees/backs.
No, no. It’s nowhere near that practical! This thing doesn’t have a hatchback, that might be useful. This baby’s got a trunk.
Incidentally, I saw one of these on the road last December. I was in South Carolina, not far from the Spartanburgh BMW plant, so I suppose it was a pre-production tester. The AMC Eagles were the first thing I thought of when I saw it!
April 4th, 2008 at 10:03 am
Foolish: This thing doesn’t have a hatchback, that might be useful. This baby’s got a trunk.
Sorry you’re wrong. It does have a hatch:
http://www.bmwblog.com/wp-content/uploads/img_1124-1600×1200.JPG
April 4th, 2008 at 10:06 am
I’m gonna…no, I can’t…no, I have to
PONTIAC AZTEC!1
I feel better now.
April 4th, 2008 at 10:11 am
Are you sure that’s not a hatchback? I haven’t found stats on it yet, but from the images I’ve seen it sure looks like one.
April 4th, 2008 at 10:25 am
BMW is so clever and aggressive about their April Fools jokes…
As if they would release a horrid, bloated piece of crap like that.
Then again, I keep waiting for them to reveal that the 1 and 3 series have secret panels you take off and reveal more svelte sporting sedans underneath.
April 4th, 2008 at 10:30 am
It’s a hatch. It’s essentially an X5 with a racier roofline and more powerful engines.
I’ve read more positive comments than I expected to. Not here, but elsewhere.
April 4th, 2008 at 10:39 am
My eyes! Argh.
So apparently the Pontiac Aztek was just “ahead of it’s time” and under priced.
April 4th, 2008 at 11:06 am
Pride goeth before the fall……some folks just don’t know how to handle success.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Will it have a tent option for the back?
April 4th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Any shots I’ve seen of this before were mostly front quarter views with the benefit of huge 20″ rails filling the wells, which made it look intruiging. From behind with the skimpy wheelset… ew. Words springing to mind: fat, bloated, disproportinate, Asstek.
It’s a 3 wagon for those with a superiority/height complex, distorted vision, and evidently, money burning a hole in their pocket.
April 4th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Finally, an SUV for people who recognize that they don’t need any of the functionality of an SUV—they just like to sit up higher. I think it’s ugly, but I won’t be at all surprised if it’s a hit.
April 4th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Saw one of these up close (sans Flying Roundels…like that would be able to hide what it was) in Spartanburg a few weeks ago. OMG, this thing is BEYOND ugly. What the hell has happened to BMW? I loved (loved, I tell you) my 1970 2800CS, 1976 2002, 1985 318i and 1993 325is. I can’t warm up to any of the Bangle-ized Bimmers. While I realize that styling is highly subjective, I miss the days of understated elegance and purpose that was BMW.
April 4th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Late to the party again. It is tres Eagle-like. A few yrs ago, I was at a local BMW dealer to pick up some 3$widget to keep my 528e going. I was checking out the latest 6 er. A sales guy asked me what I thought. I allowed as I hadn’t known Tauruses (tauri?) had a 2 door model. P’raps the old BMWs styling is dated, but the newer ones are just plain fugly.
April 5th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
I would put up with the ugliness if I could get one cheap enough. It will likely be roomy, have a a great engine and nice handling. And yes, here in the swamp the ride height is desirable. It’s also nice to have in snow.
I suspect they won’t make many of them, though. Seems BMW does a good job slowing the production line as soon as something starts looking like a loser.
April 6th, 2008 at 9:56 am
If the current trends continue we will be back to station wagons. No doubt this baby weighs!! It will probably sell well, too. I can see them proudly parked in front of the McMansion. BMW where are you going…