The excitement doesn’t end there. While billed as an SUV, it looks a lot like a muscular Coupe – and drives like one, too. The steering is accurate, the adaptive suspension system is a useful addition, while the insanely wide tyres ensure there is always a heap of grip on offer. You can tackle corners with as much enthusiasm as you like without having to worry that you’re overdoing it. There is literally no body lean.
It handles better than the Mercedes, and so gets our thumbs up in this area. But its revolutionary styling won’t be to everyone’s taste.
Neither will it’s running costs. Expect returns of a 25.4mpg economy at best. That said, these are official figures. In the real world, you’ll struggle to achieve them.
Inside, the car is a lot comfier than its aggressive design might suggest. Leather upholstery comes as standard, as does a top-notch stereo, and a quality infotainment system that comes with built-in Internet. This means you get regular traffic updates, and can get in touch with your very own concierge service.
This system is controlled via an iDrive wheel that you’ll find on the centre console. It’s easy to use and looks great. Other tech included in the cabin include a DAB radio, sat-nav and a 20GB hard drive.
It’s Coupe stance impinges on its practicality somewhat, cutting into the rear passenger head-room. The boot, though, measures a respectable 650-litres, and can be expanded to 1,870 by folding down the rear seats. This means it’s just as big as the standard BMW X6 and the exact same size as the Mercedes.
Moreover, while the standard BMW gets just four seats, this BMW X6 M Sport has room for five.
Price:
Mercedes – 98,900
BMW – £57,780 +