X6 M

Make
BMW
Segment
SUV

Believe it or not, there was a time when BMW was considering building a convertible SUV based on either the X2 or X4 to compete with the Range Rover Evoque Convertible. While Land Rover still sells the luxury SUV convertible, BMW has abandoned plans to enter the convertible SUV market.

Last year, Ralph Mahler, BMW's Head of US Product Planning & Strategy told us that building a convertible SUV is difficult to justify because the market is very small. Potential safety issues have also prevented the automaker from giving a convertible SUV the green light.

"When you discuss something like that, you have to look at how big of a market there is. It is not big," Mahler told us. "What is basically a limiting factor for a growing market segment of this kind of concept is a perception of safety. You have an elevated seating position, for example, and when you open up the whole roof, you lose some kind of protection in the perception of the customer. Therefore, I think the segment is small and will stay small." This, then, is the convertible SUV BMW refuses to build.

What you're looking at here is a render designed by X-Tomi Design showing what the BMW X6 M looks like with the roof removed, and it's certainly a sight for sore eyes. Thankfully, this is the closest we're going to get to it becoming a reality because BMW clearly isn't interested in entering the convertible SUV market. Unless, of course, someone creates their own custom BMW X6 M convertible.

If a convertible BMW X6 M was ever given the green light, it would be powered by the same twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 as the M5 sedan. In the X6 M SUV, this engine produces 600 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque, while the range-topping Comeptition model increases the output to 617 hp. 0-62 mph takes just 3.7 seconds in the Competition model before the high-performance SUV tops out at 177 mph with the optional M Driver's Package.