Spyshots: BMW F16 X6 Testing on the Nurburgring

Unlike it's smaller brother, the F48 X1 that will be migrating towards a FWD setup, the X6 will retain the all-wheel-drive transmission and might even bring a rear-wheel-drive version to the Sports Activity Coupe, similarly to the car it's inspired from, the F15 X5.

Engines will also, most likely, be roughly the same, with a 4.4-liter V8 being the range topping model at launch for the xDrive50i model, followed by a diesel 3-liter turbo unit with 258 HP dubbed xDrive35d and possibly even the ultra-diesel M50d version. Surely the xDrive35i version will be kept with its highly efficient 306 HP and 400 Nm of torque (295 lb-ft).

The question on everyone's mind is: will there be a hybrid? We're guessing it will be but not before 2015 and after the Concept5 eDrive model is lauched.

Design-wise, the new car takes after its predecessors in BMW's line-up, going for a new front fascia with the headlights connected to the kidney grilles and the same coupe-like, sloping roofline that, on the new model, seems a bit higher, thus adressing the headroom problem for the backseats, widely criticized on the E71 version.