China - Car review

We were given a brief stint behind the wheel of a prototype X6 xDrive 35i on Michelin's test track in South Carolina, and it is clear that BMW is taking a big risk with its latest model.

The X6 is based on the same all-wheel-drive underpinnings as the second-generation X5, but the torque-vectoring system directs drive to where it can be used most effectively.

During understeer, the system automatically directs most of the drive to the rear wheels and loads the outside rear wheel, providing additional turning momentum beyond that generated by the steering. During oversteer, it essentially reverses the action, sending most of the drive to the front wheels and directing rear-wheel power mostly to the inside rear wheel.

For a big and heavy SUV (with an estimated 4600-pound curb weight), the six-cylinder X6 we tested provided a healthy dose of acceleration and was remarkably agile through tricky combinations of corners. Granted, we drove only on a circuit and under controlled conditions, but there's no getting away from it: The X6's handling sets new standards for a car this size. Perhaps more important is that it's an entertaining car from behind the steering wheel.