Our friends at KGP Photography have cracked off some excellent shots of what they believe is an early BMW X6 mule. Derived from the new X5, the new crossover will apparently weight style over utility, with a more aggressively sloped roofline and steep windshield.

The spy shooters originally thought they could be looking at another planned X5-based vehicle, the V5, but given the fact that it doesn’t appear to be very efficient in terms of packaging (The V5 is said to be pitched at Mercedes-Benz’s R-Class), they’ve decided otherwise.

"Source: KGP Photography

Judging from this prototype we photographed in Germany, it appears
that BMW has started development work on the X6–a new model spun off
from the recently-released X5. This new performance-minded crossover
appears to have taken the philosophy of the Mercedes CLS four-door-
coupe, utilizing a sloped roof-line and and tauter packaging in the
name of style. Sober concerns such as functionality and cargo
capacity have been left to the X5, which has grown larger and more
versatile in its recent second-generation redesign. From the looks
of it, this X6 has been styled to match the bravado of cars like the
Range Rover Sport, which take the SUV in a decidedly athletic direction.

The heavy camouflage obviously hides the nuances of the design, but
the prototype’s smooth profile, steeply raked windshield, high
waistline and slim greenhouse are readily apparent. The sloping roof
arc is expected to continue straight into a coupe-like hoffmeister
kink, bringing a little of the Z4 coupe into the crossover zone. One
look at the chiseled ground-effects between the wheels also hints at
some pronounced fender swells that should add to the sporting look.

When we first shot this prototype, speculation began on the exact
identity of this vehicle, since another X5 spin-off–the V5–is said
to be in the works. But the V5 is supposed to be a uniquely space-
efficient vehicle in the guise of Mercedes’ R-Class, and this
prototype doesn’t seem to fit that description. Given the success of
the Range Rover Sport in the marketplace, and the lukewarm launch of
the R-Class, BMW appears to be making the right move in putting the
X6 ahead of the V5 in the development cycle. The X6 is likely still
two years away from showrooms. The fact that it will share elements
of the X5, that time-frame could be accelerated a bit.

Written By: Christopher Paukert "