Today's NYT review of X6

I don't always agree with mass-market automotive reviews, but it's pretty hard to argue with the summation:

BMW says the X6 is a hot commodity, with dealers already snapping up the entire 2008 production run. So, obviously, there are people out there who see themselves on the vanguard of vehicular chic, defying convention by stepping boldly into the realm of the $50,000 jacked-up four-door coupe.

But other BMW buyers are even more radical than the X6 customer, trendsetters who know they can walk right past that X6 in the showroom and drive away in an even cooler, more futuristic vehicle. One that’s almost a second faster to 60 m.p.h., gets 3 more m.p.g., weighs 800 pounds less and carries more people and cargo.

It’s called the 535xi Sports Wagon. It is a station wagon, pure and simple, and it’s the real step forward in the crossover evolution.



Here's the link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/22/au...=1&oref=slogin

I think the NYT may have it wrong.

Several years ago the U.S. government pushed auto makers to build cars with bumpers that were higher off the ground.i.e. Crossovers, SUVs, etc.

The reason being the bumpers were too low on a regular car and crashed tests showed occupants getting severely injured.

Now the trend is the lower the bumers of the SUVs down so they meet the bumper of cars.

Also, wagons have some of the poorest resale values. No one wants them.

Originally Posted by sdbrandon

I think the NYT may have it wrong.

Several years ago the U.S. government pushed auto makers to build cars with bumpers that were higher off the ground.i.e. Crossovers, SUVs, etc.

The reason being the bumpers were too low on a regular car and crashed tests showed occupents getting severely injured.

Also, wagons have some of the poorest resale values. No one wants them.

Is that a recent trend? I stopped looking for a CPO wagon because they were all too expensive.

Mrs. Wingspan:

"I like it."

Originally Posted by sdbrandon

Also, wagons have some of the poorest resale values. No one wants them.

I don't know about resale values, but touring vehicles, as the Europeans call them, have never been as popular here in the U.S.. But then again, SUVs were inexplicably popular in the U.S. until a few months ago. I think the equation is changing rapidly now. As the article points out, it's hard to argue against more speed, better mileage, better utility, more passenger space, more cargo space, less weight and a lower price.

Originally Posted by CAFleming

I don't know about resale values, but touring vehicles, as the Europeans call them, have never been as popular here in the U.S.. But then again, SUVs were inexplicably popular in the U.S. until a few months ago. I think the equation is changing rapidly now. As the article points out, it's hard to argue against more speed, better mileage, better utility, more passenger space, more cargo space, less weight and a lower price.

If you are talking about a Camry wagon that is one thing. But up scale car buyers don't care a flip about what you just said.

If you want to save money, buy a cheaper car. Don't buy an expensive car as a compromise to save a few bucks compared to a more expensive car. In the end you get nothing but a car no one wants.

And I don't agree the wagon has any more passenger space, utility, or towing capacity than an SUV.

SUV's are not going away. Just fewer will be able to afford them. But then again few can afford an M3/M6, or any other car that has lower gas mileage. The majority drive micro diesel cars.

Any car that is desirable but gets poor mileage will gravitate to the affluent buyer. The blue collar crowd will drive prius or something else. That is the way it has been in Europe for decades.

Originally Posted by sdbrandon

Also, wagons have some of the poorest resale values. No one wants them.

Maybe they're not popular in California, but in New England they are VERY popular. I was sitting at a stop light one morning last week and there were four BMW wagons at the interesection. All of them were new 5 series models. Station wagons, in general, are very popular here -- Audi's, Saab's, BMW's, Subaru. I have a neighbor who has already asked me when I plan to trade/sell my touring because he wants to buy it.

Originally Posted by sdbrandon

If you are talking about a Camry wagon that is one thing. But up scale car buyers don't care a flip about what you just said.

If you want to save money, buy a cheaper car. Don't buy an expensive car as a compromise to save a few bucks compared to a more expensive car. In the end you get nothing but a car no one wants.

And I don't agree the wagon has any more passenger space, utility, or towing capacity than an SUV.

SUV's are not going away. Just fewer will be able to afford them. But then again few can afford an M3/M6, or any other car that has lower gas mileage. The majority drive micro diesel cars.

Any car that is desirable but gets poor mileage will gravitate to the affluent buyer. The blue collar crowd will drive prius or something else. That is the way it has been in Europe for decades.

Why would anyone buy less performance and utility for more money just because they can afford it? That's absurd. And the average wagon doesn't have more utility than the average SUV, but it sure has more utility than the X6.

"Any car that is desirable but gets poor mileage will gravitate to the affluent buyer."

That's ridiculous too. I find most high end buyers like bitching about the price of gas just like everyone else. And I find I rather enjoy it when my 6 cylinder Porsche getting 19 mpg blows the doors off the Escalade in the next lane getting 12 mpg. It's a double win. And I'm not alone.

Originally Posted by CAFleming

Why would anyone buy less performance and utility for more money just because they can afford it? That's absurd. And the average wagon doesn't have more utility than the average SUV, but it sure has more utility than the X6.

"Any car that is desirable but gets poor mileage will gravitate to the affluent buyer."

That's ridiculous too. I find most high end buyers like bitching about the price of gas just like everyone else. And I find I rather enjoy it when my 6 cylinder Porsche getting 19 mpg blows the doors off the Escalade in the next lane getting 12 mpg. It's a double win. And I'm not alone.

The topic was on the X6which gets the same mileage as a 911 with no storage and gets better mileage than any M car and the new M3's cost even more. I am not sure of your point. Not trying to be difficult but I don't see your post making sense.

The point is that high performance cars offer much more driving satisfaction, while the big SUVs offer little utility to the driver who don't need to haul lots of stuff. Compare performance of X6 to M3 doesn't make much sense.

SUVs serve a lot of people who want higher driving position, feel powerful (seeing over the road), and an image of being powerful. Wagons are the way to go for utility - whether Accord wagon or 5 series wagon, although 535xiT isn't cheap by any means.

I think the DPC technology will go into the 5 series xdrive vehicles soon.

Originally Posted by TMQ

The point is that high performance cars offer much more driving satisfaction, while the big SUVs offer little utility to the driver who don't need to haul lots of stuff. Compare performance of X6 to M3 doesn't make much sense.

SUVs serve a lot of people who want higher driving position, feel powerful (seeing over the road), and an image of being powerful. Wagons are the way to go for utility - whether Accord wagon or 5 series wagon, although 535xiT isn't cheap by any means.

I think the DPC technology will go into the 5 series xdrive vehicles soon.

compare the performance of an 335 to an M3, does that make sense?

What about an M3 to M6?

Driving satisfaction is based on the customer not the car. Which is why SUV's and minivan sales were the majority of the market and wagaon sales sucked and still do. Now with high fuel prices, SUV's, minivans, and sports cars will be for the wealthy like in Europe. The middle and lower class will gravatate towards microcar diesels.

The U.S. hates wagons except for the small group in the Northwest who buy subarus.

There will always be SUV's for towing ability, utility, offroading, etc. I had an M3 in the past, the driving satisfaction is limited, MPG is low, and we all have to drive 65MPH and get stuck in traffic. But yeah, 1% of the time you can open it up.

My neighbor just sold his 350z because it was averaging 16MPG and he was stuck in traffic with a manual most of the time. But yeah, he was really satisified when reality set it.

Originally Posted by CAFleming

Why would anyone buy less performance and utility for more money just because they can afford it? That's absurd. And the average wagon doesn't have more utility than the average SUV, but it sure has more utility than the X6.

"Any car that is desirable but gets poor mileage will gravitate to the affluent buyer."

That's ridiculous too. I find most high end buyers like bitching about the price of gas just like everyone else. And I find I rather enjoy it when my 6 cylinder Porsche getting 19 mpg blows the doors off the Escalade in the next lane getting 12 mpg. It's a double win. And I'm not alone.

Well...BMW sold 40 000 X6 so i guess there are some who wants them ;-)
BTW have you test drive the X6?
If not i can tell you its like driving an 911 and the 911 its nice!
But the best part is that can i put a lot of stuff in my car to, got a sportcar with space!!!
This is an good example of "think outside the box"

Its importent to test things before i talk about them, otherwise i will just look jealous.
And yes i had an -05 911
Have a nice day!

Originally Posted by cafleming

why would anyone buy less performance and utility for more money just because they can afford it? That's absurd. And the average wagon doesn't have more utility than the average suv, but it sure has more utility than the x6.

"any car that is desirable but gets poor mileage will gravitate to the affluent buyer."

that's ridiculous too. I find most high end buyers like bitching about the price of gas just like everyone else. And i find i rather enjoy it when my 6 cylinder porsche getting 19 mpg blows the doors off the escalade in the next lane getting 12 mpg. It's a double win. And i'm not alone.

amen!

j.