We tested two cars at Kyalami that day. The first was a BMW 530i rival that really impressed me, then I hopped straight into this car.

There's something about a BMW that even this thing possesses that makes it a BMW and it took that morning to properly demonstrate it. And that something is what the rest still need to begin to grapple...

That other car was brilliant on track and it made me delighted for its resurgent brand and what it is trying to achieve. But I was never near comfortable driving it — those flat leather chairs had me worrying most of the time to keep myself in the seat, my right knee kept on bringing the wing mirrors in (and I needed them out for the photos) and the left one was working the temperature controls all by itself — without me wanting to — as I pressed them each side in an effort to find myself a little extra purchase.

So I was spending all my spare seconds rectifying those problems.

In the BMW — and in all Beemers for that matter — you just drive. Flat out. There's no worry about contorting yourself to try stay in an unsupportive chair, your extremities are comfortable and free and you are left to do the only thing that matters better — which of course is to drive.

Yet this relative truck (it will be a US Truck of the year contender in 2009 if you really want to argue... ) rushed around Kyalami as quickly as a Merc CLS 500 — that brilliant 210kW 580Nm twin-turbodiesel grunting gently as it conducted itself like a 335i rather than the monster X6 it is.

It's unflappable too. the lap times came down in accordance with the driver eyeing in, which is remarkable for a 2.3-ton all-up behemoth — these things usually go off dramatically the further into our three laps we get. X6 did its best lap last — just like a Porsche does.

That means there was no brake fade, the tyres are suited to the car in those most extreme of conditions and you can rest assured that no matter what you do with X6 on the road, it's going to stand by you and then some...

Clearly all that BMW suspension and diff trickery works to a turn then – just take a look at the lap time it put in to figure that one out. But of course, when will an X6 get on a racetrack? Which is why I got that out of the way first — those dynamic advantages are this car's biggest strong suit.

The rest I am afraid, still has us stumped as to why exactly BMW bothered with the X6 in the first place. It certainly grabs attention — it should — it's such a different concept and that novelty has it flavour of the month right now. But the novelty will soon enough wear off. And then what?

Happily in this particular case, its brilliant 3.0-litre twin turbodiesel will come to its aid — it's squeaky clean and oh-so frugal, too. But then so is the equivalent X5, which you can have in seven seats and the kitchen sink, too.

So when your kids have friends, they can come along, too. And therein lies our problem with X6 — it's a hell of a lot of car for just two people, which inevitably these will become for. The cabin in the rear is compromised for adults in the first place and then there are only two seats. So a fifth occupant has to sit on that ridiculous plastic centre consol that could so easily have been in a fold-down segment. And they don't even have a seatbelt to benefit from all those five-star NCAP advantages.

Most people who buy big 4x4s do so because they have a family or a lifestyle or most often, both to run. And the X6 precludes pretty much all of that for the sake of a Merc CLS-rivalling cabin. And that means it is either too much car for the old couple or rich gay who would typically want to have a car that offers the aspects they want, or too little car for the family guy like me.

The empty nester would far rather have a Six series and the active family quite simply needs the practicality of an X5. So what's the point, really... ?

Yes, it certainly is the flavour of the month right now, but that can't last forever.

The big test for X6 is not this year or next — it's in two or three years time when the novelty has worn off and the next one is being considered. If a successor comes, then maybe we've missed something. If it doesn't, then perhaps BMW would have.

We're just a little concerned that this one's a niche too far — especially in trying global times like these...

WE LIKE
Wacky idea, makes huge statement, the best of BMW dynamics, efficiency
WE DON'T
Not even it knows what it is. Severely compromised cabin.

SAFETY (Euro NCAP)
Adult Occupant (5): n/a
Child Protection (4): n/a
Pedestrian (4): n/a
Airbags: Front, side and curtain
Safety Equipment: ABS, CBC, DSC, DTC and DPC.
CIA Security Rating (5): 4

WE SAY
"I reckon this could be a cool niche and something I'd appreciate if I had a family of four, did a lot of mild off-roading but still wanted sporty styling and more performance and dynamic ability than other SUVs offer. Pity they stuck so close to X5 styling principals — they had a clean sheet and could have done something far more distinctive." -Jason Woosey
"Another segment split into another sub-segment. Good looking... in a massive sort of coupe way. Standing behind it you can feel somewhat humbled — after all it's supposed to be a coupe. But for the rest it has BMW handling qualities combined with a supremely able diesel with fuel consumption that belies its size." -Mario Lupini

AT A GLANCE
Engine: The Turbodiesel Acme = 9
Chassis: Brilliant. For a truck = 8
Transmission: Seamless auto = 8
Brakes: Unflappable = 8
Safety: As per X5 = 10
Handling: Superb. For the truck it is = 7
Specification: Tick those boxes = 8
Cabin: Great. If you're in front = 6
Styling: Well the people like it! = 7
Fun Factor: Makes that statement = 7

Total: Cool car. But why? = 79

VERDICT
Goes like stink, super frugal, handles brilliantly and everybody thinks they love it. But please someone please tell us why?