Where would motoring journos be without the BMW X6? We should give the thing some kind of award for the sheer amount of coverage we’ve already managed to wring out of it; everything from favourable comments on how it drives through to deep wonder at just how pointless the idea of an off-road coupe really is.
Anyway, BMW has obviously grown used to the critical deluge, to the extent it’s decided to stir up yet more debate with a press release that makes the extremely bold assertion that the forthcoming range-topper, the X6 50i, is some kind of environmental champion.
That’s right, a car that manages the dizzying heights of 22.3mpg when put through the standard fuel economy test – and which pushes out 299g of CO2 for every kilometer it travels, is worthy of praise on the grounds that it does slightly better than its rivals.
According to BMW, the twin-turbocharged X6’s CO2 emissions figure is 75g/km cleaner than the supercharged Range Rover Sport and it’s 4.8mpg more fuel efficient. It’s also 2.3mpg more efficient and 33g/km less polluting than the Porsche Cayenne GTS.
All of which is undoubtedly true, but it seems like a seriously strange battlefield on which to base the 404bhp X6’s case. It’s like saying that an oilwell fire is more environmentally friendly than a capsized supertanker.
Let’s be honest, for the mid-ranking Premiership footballers who will form the range-topping X6’s most appreciative audience, green issues are what happen if the groundsman hasn’t done his job properly.