SPY PICS: BMW fronts up to the Benz R-Class

Any BMW with 'X' in the name is an off-roader. That's a given. Yet there were rumours going around that the X6 would be a CLS competitor. That seems like disinformation to us, especially in light of spy pics to hand from the assiduous sticky beaks at Carparazzi.

See these pics? They tell the full story. X6 -- disguised as it is -- is nonetheless a cross-over wagon which will go head to head with the Mercedes-Benz R-Class.

The disguise at the front -- including what looks like painted sheet metal riveted to the bonnet and bits of X5 bumper cover -- hide the base of the headlights and what could be some Musso-like sculpture lines in the bonnet.

According to the Carparazzi photographers, the X6 shown here was testing at the Nurburgring and has a lower, raked roofline at the rear which is disguised by the material draped over the rear door tops and the rear roof section.

They advise that the vehicle was a four-seater, which leads us to think that the X6 will not be the sort of off-road luxury wagon that the X5 is. Think more sports/performance focus...

The rising waist and sculpture line at door handle height appear to have been inspired by the R-Class Mercedes style. With the recent styling trends exhibited by the 3 Series, we're not expecting the X6 to shift the goal posts with a lot of new Chris Bangle-inspired styling traits, but the headlights will possibly echo the style of the X3's and tail lights appear to have been lifted from the Z4.

The X6 is due for an international release sometime in 2008. Hopefully, it will be in Australia not long after that.

-- with Carparazzi