Frankfurt Preview: 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6

Yeah because BMW SUV owners are all about practicality!

LOL @ 1487

I like the look.

Shockingly worthless vehicle.

BMW is so off-the-deep-end.

How about this, genius-marketing-gurus-at-BMW, give the 30d. Yeah, that's nuts! The 730d and 740d will both get over 30 MPG on the freeway. Even the blobby X6 would probably be able to get the mid-20s.

Yeah, I'd like to see more diesel implementations.

Does anyone else think that BMW's gauges look pretty boring now and ordinary? I am all for functionality, but I think their recent gauge designs lack style. The ones before, such as the E46 looked better and more commensurate with a premium level car.

I want a 123d as much or more than anyone, but in this case I think that BMW is giving the quasi-greenies exactly what they want. "Hybrid" and "Electric" are the magic words right now in the US market. The Munich's diesels are state-of-the-art but they simply don't sell that well in the US.

The hybrid puts the X6 over 20mpg huh...the Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid weighs 4575lbs and gets 30mpg on the highway (27mpg combined according to MotorTrend)

I see an X6 and 7-Series with the ActiveHybrid, but when will BMW realize it would be best for them to put the system into a 3-Series which would really benefit whatever it is that premium car hybrid buyers get.

@roadburner: I think VW would disagree with you about diesels not selling well. Their Jetta sedans and wagons (priced in the mid-$20s) seem to be doing just fine, thanks.

The problem with the BMW diesels so far is that, like the Honda Accord Hybrid, they're an answer for a question that (unfortunately) no one is asking: a high-performing expensive luxury sport sedan/SUV. The people who want diesel are, at the end of the day, looking for an inexpensive solution to the fuel problem. If gas was still selling in the $4.00/gal range, then yes, there'd be more interest.

The 120d and 123d hatchbacks have decent performance (123d = ~ 6.7 sec to 60 MPH and 35-40 MPG) would probably sell just fine over here, as long as BMW could sell them for slightly under $30k (i.e., priced maybe slightly less than a 128i coupe). The upcoming X1 SUV (SAV?) equipped with the 23d's diesel would probably sell well as long as BMW could price them under $35k.

But once the prices reach $40k, the masses of people who could be persuaded into a diesel take a hike. They become truly niche vehicles at that point.

And I agree - the ActiveHybrid X6 is just a waste of resources for BMW. Give the greenies the diesels and give the rest more M3s.

jkp1187; To clarify, I was only saying that BMW's diesels haven't sold well. My son will be driving my wife's X3 in a couple of years, and we are hoping that the X1 will be offered with the four cylinder twin-turbo diesel.

I really think BMWs with diesels will sell here.

They just need to be priced in a realistic fashion.

330d priced 3k over a 328i will sell. MB and VW have proven diesels in a german vehicle are appreciated by buyers.

Hybrids? So far there's not much of a market outside of the prius/insight/fusion world.

I think BMW buyers are looking for the handling and feel of a BMW. A hybrid adds weight and offers nothing really to the performance equation that's positive. A diesel can still give buyers BMW handling.

BMW, IMHO, is missing the boat.

Took a 4 day road trip in the Canadian Rockies in my '04 Cayenne S, and managed to average 20 MPG. No hybrid, no diesel, no direct fuel injection. Granted, I don't have quite as much power, but still, I think my beast is remarkably good on fuel. I agree with most posters, though, BMW should offer more diesels - maybe I'll get one next...

blueguydotcom:

> The 730d and 740d will both get over 30 MPG on
> the freeway.

OK, you may now quit your scamming efforts. BMW 730d does combined real life 9,85 l/100km = 24 mpg US. Cherry picking temporary fuel economy means cheating other readers.

http://www.spritmonitor.de/de/uebersicht/6-BMW/40-7er.html?fueltype=1&constyear_s=2005&power_e=190
tinyurl.com/mxychf - BMW 730d vs rivals

jkp1187:

> The people who want diesel are, at the end of
> the day, looking for an inexpensive solution to
> the fuel problem.

Do you realize refueling is just some 1/5 of cars total ownership costs?

An interesting comparison: 5 years real life observed total costs of ownership (maintenance, repairs, depreciation, fueling, financing):

2004 Toyota Prius hybrid automatic: $27,382 [3]
2004 VW Jetta 2.0 gas manual: $28,820[2]
2004 VW Jetta TDI diesel manual: $31,918 [1]

[1] tinyurl.com/qyvgm3
[2] tinyurl.com/qx9q8u
[3] tinyurl.com/oo59y4

So you might be a little bit surprised with your costs of having a car. Diesel maintenance, more frequent and costlier repairs (modern diesels are very complex and fragile), initial price disadvantage and little fuel economy improvement makes it a worse bet than ordinary gasser. Hybrid is just out of reach.

> (123d = ~ 6.7 sec to 60 MPH and 35-40 MPG)

Again, yet another number out of someone's bottom.

BMW 123d does average real life 7,28 l / 100km = 32,3 mpg US

Source: http://www.spritmonitor.de/de/uebersicht/6-BMW/36-1er.html?fueltype=1&power_s=145&power_e=155

> priced maybe slightly less than a 128i coupe)

Do you realize how expensive this engine is?

Two turbos, variable vanes, super high pressure injectors and fuel pump, particulate filter, NOx reductor... it just does not remotely make any sense.

> And I agree - the ActiveHybrid X6 is just a
> waste of resources for BMW. Give the greenies
> the diesels and give the rest more M3s.

Greenies don't want diesels because diesels are shit. Did you know Mercedes ML CDI BlueTEC and VW Touareg TDI diesels require more crude oil to run a given distance than ordinary GASOLINE Lexus RX350? RX400h and RX450h use almost twice less crude oil than diesels. Source: EPA convertion numbers + real life fuel economy.

Same with small hybrids. New Toyota Prius uses some 6.2 barrels of crude for 15k miles. The Jetta TDI some 10.5 barrels. Well, the diesel is mere 70% LESS EFFICIENT.

No wonder this is a failed technology that only sells in European Union of Socialism.

Another "expert".
Yawn.

In European Union economy as well... yawn. Both an economist and a car expert...