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BMW is shooting for the niche within a niche with the latest creation from the wizards at ///M. The X6 ///M isdestined to be a low volume seller (anticipated at under a thousand per year world wide) and with a base model price point just shy of 90 grand it will play the roll as a halo vehicle to showcase the newest performance technologies. It openly screams: Hey, look what we can do with a 5+ thousand pound truck! All while being the fastest ///M vehicle to date with 0-60, coming in at 4.5 seconds. Packing the twin turbo 4.4l (555 hp and 500 ft/lbs) V8 under the hood it is fast and a whole lot more.

The X6 is a large vehicle in every notable dimension, but when BMW applied some serious M (for Magic and NOT Marketing) it seemingly forgot its size and of course the enthusiasts main sticking point; weight.What if I said that those aforementioned dimensions had no impact on the performance, that the ///M magic made this rendition of the X6 feel much smaller than its weight and size would make you think?You more than likely would tell me I was lying or I must have drank some tainted German Kool-Aid while at the track.

Is it sacrilege to say that it truly is an amazing vehicle? I surely hope not, because it is. From throttle response and power delivery to braking it is a fine piece of performance machinery. There is no perceivable turbo lag (CCM) and if the driver has any sense of PROPER braking techniques for the track there is minimal brake fade, and certainly none on the street.

Most of you wereprobably expecting my opinion to be that ///M has become nothing more than a status badge and some bolt on parts like AMG is now for Benz and that this is the end of what we have all known and loved. That just is not going to happen this go around. Are there still flaws? Sure there are, but what vehicle is perfect?

Having completed 40+ hot laps myself and 4 stints with Bernd Limmer, Technical Designer and test driver for ///M, at the wheel here at Road Atlanta I feel confident in saying that this vehicle can truly be badged an ///M. It is willing and capable ofdoing what you ask of it and a whole lot more.

Over the next few days you can expect some more in-depth commentary from Atlanta and South Carolina. That ‘s it for now but if you are not familiar with the new ///M Motor in this X6 you can learn more about it from our past exclusive coverage.