2007 Frankfurt Auto Show: Will the new BMW X6 beat down sales of its competition?

With the official introduction of the BMW X6 just days away at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show, the Spies are busily readying themselves for this important spy mission.

Of course, you can expect the best photo gallery on the planet that will take you front and center at the show.

The full gallery goes live on September 11th.

For now, just a treaser…

2007 Frankfurt Auto Show Photo Gallery

So as we wait in preparation for the big event let's start the dialogue about what could be the hottest introduction at the show.

The new BMW X6.

We're are curious about customers opinions and it's prospects in the market.

Sources who have seen the finished vehicle say it’s way better looking than the spy photos reveal.

Will it beat down the competition (Range Rover Sport, Infiniti FX, Porsche Cayenne) and create a new segment of crossover SUV’s?

What competitive manufacturer will be effected the most when the X6 arrives?

What percentage of traditional X5 customers do you think will waiver over to the X6?

Where should BMW price it?

Let us know your opinions…in detail

theoptimisticpessimist - 9/8/2007 12:22:50 PM

+1 Boost

Err, still not getting the X6's mission,wait, unless BMW wants to build fastest,best handling AMC Eagle ever.

bmwdrvr - 9/8/2007 2:06:13 PM

0 Boost

there are a few other crossovers that look more like the amc eagle (a raised station wagon...hmmm sound familiar) than this x6, from what ive seen its not the best looking but it doesnt look anymore like a tall wagon than any other crossover. in fact the amc was more an outback, audi allroad, volco cross country type of vehicle than an suv.

theoptimisticpessimist - 9/8/2007 2:17:41 PM

-1 Boost

Oh I don't mean the wagon, take a look at the SX/4 link below. (I a real coupe)
http://www.javelinamx.com/javhome/jwr/82sx4/

maikoazu - 9/8/2007 6:46:36 PM

0 Boost

theoptimisticpessimist, So according to your logic, every other carmaker wants to build a BMW 3 series then.

theoptimisticpessimist - 9/8/2007 7:31:21 PM

0 Boost

Aren't they?

Agent001 - 9/8/2007 12:49:27 PM

+4 Boost

You won't be saying that when you see the real thing next week.

It's blazing hot!

001

MrGunFun - 9/8/2007 12:51:23 PM

+8 Boost

You are just jealous because Lexus doesn't even have what I call 'the true SUV' in their line up.

I'm pretty sure BMW X6 will revolutionize the car industry once again just like the X5.

chewy - 9/8/2007 2:16:59 PM

-3 Boost

Looks alot like the Aztek.

Agent004 - 9/8/2007 12:50:26 PM

-2 Boost

It is all going to be dictated by price. Price it like a 650 and it will be the first BMW to sit on dealer lots in a long time. Price it like an FX and it will be game over Infiniti.

bmwdrvr - 9/8/2007 2:03:59 PM

0 Boost

people said that when the new 7 series, came out that no one would buy a car that looked like that, let alone a full size bmw. and look how it sold, alot better than the 7 it replaced, and continues to sell well

Agent004 - 9/8/2007 2:48:49 PM

-1 Boost

Sorry, I was going by price, not looks.

S4cabriofoxone - 9/9/2007 11:23:49 AM

+1 Boost

bmwdrvr, what do you mean by saying nobody would want a "full size bmw?" Are you saying the last generations of 7 Series models weren't full-sized? Because this definitely was not the first one to be a large sedan.

S4cabriofoxone - 9/9/2007 11:25:08 AM

0 Boost

The Range Rover Sport also has a 400hp engine, and it's certainly not a Ford unit.

Anyway, BMW does not make top-class cars in every segment. In fact, all of them are arguable, except the 3 Series.

STJ88 - 9/8/2007 1:01:24 PM

-4 Boost

@MrGunFun

What is a true SUV? I know the LX570 that thing can go places where the X5 could only dream about.

MrGunFun - 9/8/2007 1:25:21 PM

+2 Boost

If you are talking about off roads, let me ask you this.
How often do people take their SUVs to off road within a year? I don't know what world you live in but most people tend to drive their cars on road.
Bangle and BMW engineers know that now is the time to make a sedan-like SUVs and you watch them succeed.

Plus, LX570 is a Range Rover wannabe, made by Japanese who always dream about Lexus to become a european-like brand one day.

delan - 9/8/2007 2:10:54 PM

0 Boost

Yawn...

golfer38 - 9/8/2007 2:10:53 PM

+2 Boost

I know its a little premature to say, but I think its ugly as sin. And, what purpose is it going to serve. They offer a small SUV already, and the way the backend silhouette looks, it doesn't look like it going to have much cargo capacity. I just don't know about this one.

indoctrin8ed - 9/8/2007 9:05:41 PM

+2 Boost

Clearly, but great looks aren't a requirement to be successful in this space. The Cayanne looks like a cockroach, yet is the top selling Porsche in the US.

In fact, ugly might be a good thing. The more evil and utiltarian an SUV appears, the more they sell. (eg, Hummer, Cayanne, Land Rover, etc).

STJ88 - 9/8/2007 2:23:25 PM

-3 Boost

@e90335i

The X5 does get better gas mileage than the LX, but the RX400H is better.

MrGunFun - 9/8/2007 5:29:05 PM

+4 Boost

you can't compare pertrol engine to a hybrid engine.

Bill - 9/9/2007 9:00:40 AM

+3 Boost

The RX400h is a gas guzzler once you drive above 30 mph when the electric engine stops functioning. Hybrids = overrated.

S4cabriofoxone - 9/9/2007 11:27:08 AM

+1 Boost

We average 15.2MPG in the RX330. That's pretty terrible considering the car's weight and engine size. I can't imagine the RX400h being much better, as it's heavier.

ICON - 9/8/2007 3:19:22 PM

+1 Boost

I see this competing against the RRover Sport, Cayenne, and at the lower end the FX. I think it will be a performance vehicle first and foremost. The bi-turbo 6 and 8 cylinder would be great engine choices.

I don't get the comparison to the Aztec. If you look at the scale of this vehicle when they are standing next to it you can definitely see the large road presence it will have.

It looks like it will be aggressive and visually striking. But we will have to wait a couple of days to see the real thing. Don't hate too soon guys.

SSP350 - 9/8/2007 4:56:35 PM

+2 Boost

I'll have to wait and see what this vehicle will actually serve as a purpose for anything.

M53R - 9/8/2007 4:57:21 PM

+3 Boost

What percentage of traditional X5 customers do you think will waiver over to the X6?

I dont know about the other X5 owners but I for one will trade mine with an X6 in 2 or 3 years. I dont need the extra space in my X5 since I already have the tahoe and I always wanted an X5 coupe and this is the closest thing to it. Many X5 owners are like me here in the UAE, not sure about the US. So I do think it will sell well.

Lexus - 9/8/2007 8:46:50 PM

-5 Boost

The last time remember Lexus the first automaker to make SUV, and now everyone on the bandwagon. And second I would get an Audi Q7 or Q9 instead.

Rupert - 9/9/2007 8:27:48 AM

+4 Boost

"The last time remember Lexus the first automaker to make SUV,'

Sorry what?

Range Rover? Discovery? Jeep?

If you meant "Lexus was the first to make a car-based luxury SUV" then you're right.

Bill - 9/9/2007 9:02:41 AM

+3 Boost

Mercedes-Benz brought the luxury SUV craze back in the mid 1990s with their M-Class. NOT Lexus.

LuxuryFan - 9/9/2007 3:27:45 PM

-1 Boost

^ the Lexus LX 450 and Acura SLX both pre-date the M-class.

Rupert - 9/9/2007 5:05:25 PM

+3 Boost

And the Range Rover predates them all.

S4cabriofoxone - 9/9/2007 11:17:09 PM

+2 Boost

The Acura SLX was a forgettable re-badged Isuzu Trooper. It is not a real luxury car.

EL34 - 9/8/2007 8:55:42 PM

0 Boost

The new BMW X6 will beat doggone daylights out of the competition!

You heard it here first from el34.

EL34 - 9/8/2007 8:57:19 PM

-1 Boost

Well you heard first from 001, but the doggone part was from me first.

indoctrin8ed - 9/8/2007 9:02:22 PM

+2 Boost

If anyone can build a fast, great handling ANYTHING, BMW definitly has the credentials, pedigree, and corporate DNA to do this.

The X5 does this already, but doesn't cover the high end as well as another, dedicated platform can. Hence, the X6.

And more than anyone, BMW has more experience in blending sports car attributes into "well rounded" driving machines.

With the Cayanne being the top selling Porsche in America, the business model certainly exists for BMW to crack into this.

So the answer is: "Of course".

Anything short of this would imply stupidity or ignorance.

no1listensanyway - 9/9/2007 2:17:13 AM

+1 Boost

I do not know what BMW is thinking with this thing. It looks terrible.

jt716 - 9/9/2007 9:43:08 AM

+1 Boost

its really ugly...Im very disappointed in BMW

jt716 - 9/9/2007 9:49:33 AM

0 Boost

indoctrin8ed the range rover and range rover sport are the best looking suvs around so i dont see how u can call it ugly

indoctrin8ed - 9/11/2007 8:01:02 PM

+1 Boost

range rover, just recently look good.

Land Rovers have been fugly, even the late model ones look frumpy.

S4cabriofoxone - 9/9/2007 11:30:53 AM

-1 Boost

I can't tell if it will be ugly, but the proportions are just cartoonish. It seems like it will resemble some sort of second-grade drawing of a hot rod going down the road, with those ridiculously huge wheels and strange squashed profile. Hey, maybe it will look good- one can hope. I want them to add some sex appeal to the X5 (too much black plastic trim!), but not like this...

Anyway, aren't the Range Rover Sport and Cayenne also main X5 competitors? So this doesn't really make sense. What will be its true market segment?

MrGunFun - 9/9/2007 12:40:00 PM

+2 Boost

It will create a whole new market segment, for those who really want sporty-sedan like SUVs and go FAST.

S4cabriofoxone - 9/9/2007 11:17:47 PM

-1 Boost

Uhuh, yeah, ok.

indoctrin8ed - 9/14/2007 6:04:02 AM

+1 Boost

S4, wait unitl you see this in person.

Not sure what your impressions were of the 6 series, but in person was far more impressive than photos, and that's what I'm hearing about this.

This seems to be true about a lot of newer cutting edge designes these days. Photogenic they are not.