BMW Dealers Claim The New X7 Has A Wagon Look. How True Is That?

BMW recently confirmed the second-generation X7 will break cover next year, but there’s still a long wait ahead. Although spy photos do a good job of hinting at what’s coming, nothing beats seeing the real thing up close. Dealers from the United States were given a sneak preview of the G67 well before its official debut, and details have now emerged from the private meeting held in Nashville on May 27.

According to retailers cited by Automotive News, BMW has gone even further in differentiating the X7 from the X5. The full-size luxury SUV is reportedly set to adopt a more “wagon-like” profile. It’s said to have boxier proportions that set it apart from more curvaceous rivals. Our spy photos of an M Performance version with a quad exhaust system do show a prototype with an angular appearance and an almost flat roofline.

However, we wouldn’t necessarily count on the future X7 resembling an XXL-sized, high-riding Touring. To us, the prototype has a profile similar to the X7 G07. In the meantime, all we can say is this body shape typically benefits interior space. The X7 G67 test vehicle certainly suggests generous headroom, even for third-row passengers. Elsewhere, it’s evident that the split-headlight design is here to stay. Our thinking is it may switch to a vertical layout for the main lights to echo the 7 Series facelift.

The New BMW X7 Will Have “Hidden” Door Handles

The door handles are hiding in plain sight, neatly integrated into the beltline. Those winglets should already look familiar by now. We’ve seen them on the ultra-exclusive Skytop and Speedtop, while the X5 G65 will follow suit later this summer as the first series-production model to adopt the new setup. BMW may have to rethink this discreet design for China, where the long-wheelbase i3 and iX3 received a last-minute switch to conventional door handles to comply with a new safety regulation.

According to the same report, dealers also learned that the ALPINA version, presumably codenamed G69, will feature a significantly more upscale interior than the standard BMW model. The luxury-focused derivative is also said to receive redesigned front and rear fascias to further distinguish it from the regular X7. Given the greater emphasis on comfort, we wouldn’t be surprised if the ALPINA-badged variant is offered exclusively with two-row seating.

Another Large SUV May Be Coming

This isn’t the first time BMW has given North American retailers early access to the new X7. A few months ago, one dealer representative described it as “absolutely gorgeous.” The G67 will be the company’s largest SUV at launch, but some dealers are already pushing for an even bigger X model. However, BMW has yet to commit to a Cadillac Escalade rival that would presumably wear the X9 badge.

There have also been reports of a “Rugged” project for a new SUV, although it may not necessarily be larger. The rumored G74 is allegedly due in 2029 and is expected to offer greater off-road capability than any previous X model. It’s not believed to use a body-on-frame architecture, so it wouldn’t be a true rival to the Land Rover Defender or Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Since BMW has yet to officially announce the vehicle, the X7 remains the brand’s flagship SUV for the time being.

Source: Automotive News (subscription required)