Monday 31st March 2014

BMW X7 confirmed

BMW's targets the Range Rover with the latest addition to its sprawling line up

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For those of shocked or appalled at the news of a BMW X4, the latest news from Munich (well Spartanburg, actually) won't be especially welcome. The BMW X family is set to expand again with the introduction of an X7.

X7 for those who find the 5 a bit teeny

For now we only know that the project has been given the go-ahead, described by BMW's board chairman Norbert Reithofer simply as a 'larger X model'. No details or pics just yet, so we'll just have to ponder on possibilities for now.

Firstly the very confirmation of the X7 indicates the importance of SUVs to BMW now. The announcement was part of a wider release about Spartanburg, that production will be upped by 50 per cent to 450,000 cars with the ongoing sales success of the X3, X5 and X6. The X1 is made away from BMW's 'centre of competence for X vehicles' in Leipzig.

Though much manipulated over time, BMW's number naming strategy still has some bearing on the car involved, even if the digits are now running out! So an X7 should in theory be a 7 Series 4x4, a bigger SUV even than the X5. Presumably it will have the upcoming Bentley SUV, its Audi Q7 relative, the Mercedes GL and Range Rover in its sights. Presumably the US will be the main market for the X7 as it looks like being a bloody massive vehicle.

That's it for now; the X7 will happen and BMW probably won't be able to make enough. In other more positive news, the M3/M4 isn't far away. Is it?

[X7 rendering: BMWBlog]

[myhandle]

Surely a logical step, as a competitor to the Mercedes GL which sells well in certain markets.

[gforceg]

I met a chap in the BMW hospitality tent at Goodwood a couple of years ago who described wanting just such a wagon. That's one order in the bag.

[kambites]

Is the X5 actually significantly smaller than the RR then?

[BeirutTaxi]

Woah that's ugly

That has all the appeal and attractiveness of an overweight hippo.

[Phil Dicky]

kambites said:

Is the X5 actually significantly smaller than the RR then?

I wouldn't thought so..certainly not enough to justify another model..but what do I know

[WokkaWokka]

fk ME THAT IS THE UGLIEST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN!!!! JEEZE WHAT THE HELL ARE THOSE GUYS SMOKING IN THE DESIGN DEPARTMENT!!!

[Snowboy]

kambites said:

Is the X5 actually significantly smaller than the RR then?

Yes.
In my opinion the X5 is closer to the RR sport.

[Pesty]

Horrible

[struttob]

Lardy Barge that will mostly only see the school run - personally I don't get it !?

Bob

[TheAllSeeingPie]

kambites said:

Is the X5 actually significantly smaller than the RR then?

Yes it is. Even the later bloated ones are smaller than a RR when you're sat inside.

Seeing as BMW were responsible for the Mk3 (L322) Range Rover I am guessing this might actually be quite nice on the inside and even capable of going off-road. Although I doubt the outside will ever look pretty unless you have cataracts.

[kambites]

Snowboy said:

kambites said:

Is the X5 actually significantly smaller than the RR then?

Yes.
In my opinion the X5 is closer to the RR sport.

Fair enough. They both look so monstrously ginormousness from the driving seat of an Elise, that I can't really tell.

[Skellen]

This will sell well. At last an alternative to the Q7 and XC90. The X5 is too small.

It will have to be very good and well thought out to beat the XC90 though.

[Henry Fiddleton]

Is it just me who see's the current X3 and thinks its the same size as the original X5?

[kambites]

Henry Fiddleton said:

Is it just me who see's the current X3 and thinks its the same size as the original X5?

It probably is, but that doesn't have much bearing on whether people want something bigger than the current X5. I suspect cars in this market sector are going to keep getting bigger until they start to hit the 3500kg driving licence limit.

[Ollieb7]

X7 coming - what will be next.... X8!!

Oh dear i can see he ugliness with 40" spinners of it now!

[camel_landy]

However, the comparison against the Range Rover just reinforces the fact that the Range Rover is still the market leader and the car you want to be seen in.

M

[Eviltad]

You guys realise that the image is just an artists impresssion yeah? The project has been given a green light but no public images will be available for a while yet.

[Pesty]

The only point in these vehicles is if they have decent boot space IMO.

If they do they are very useful. The x5 I went in the boot was useless.

[okie592]

I can't believe the pistonheads servers can handle the stress from the anger that will expload any moment now

I wonder if they wil do a 2 liter diesel with fwd to really rile up the 6 cylinder army

[Eviltad]

okie592 said:

I wonder if they wil do a 2 liter diesel with fwd to really rile up the 6 cylinder army

The Chinese market would expect that.