Article Summary
- Fresh spy shots from Italy reveal an upright design, split headlights, and massive kidney grilles.
- Expect gasoline and diesel inline-six engines, a V8-powered M Performance version, and a more luxurious ALPINA derivative.
- A larger X9 could arrive in the late 2020s or early 2030s, giving BMW an even bigger SUV for buyers who think the X7 isn't quite enormous enough.
The paint on the new X5 has barely dried, but BMW isn’t done reinventing its largest SUVs. A heavily camouflaged prototype of the next-generation X7 has been spotted testing in Italy, offering an early glimpse of the full-size luxobarge expected to break cover sometime next year.
With its debut still some way off, the test vehicle remains heavily camouflaged, with a black-and-white disguise concealing almost every body panel. Even so, these spy shots reveal a few interesting details about BMW’s flagship SUV as development progresses.
At first glance, the prototype retains the upright proportions that have defined the X7 since its introduction. The long hood, tall roofline, generous ground clearance, and boxy rear end leave little doubt about which BMW we’re looking at. The front end is particularly interesting. Although the camouflage conceals the finer details, the prototype appears to retain the current model’s split-headlight arrangement and massive kidney grilles.
Does BMW Really Need An Even Larger SUV Than This?
The side profile also reveals a substantial body with relatively conventional proportions. Black multi-spoke wheels fill the arches, while the extensive disguise makes it hard to judge how much the new X7 will grow compared with today’s model. It also makes us wonder just how big the X9 would be if BMW approves it for production.
At the back, the black strip stretching across nearly the entire width suggests that the second-generation X7 could retain the split tailgate. However, BMW fooled us before with X5 prototypes, only for the production G65 to lose the practical layout. It’s too soon to say whether the three-row G67 will follow the same path.
Although this prototype lacks a combustion engine, the new X7 will offer plenty when it goes official. Expect a rich mix of gasoline and diesel inline-six engines, alongside a big ol’ V8 for the M Performance version. A future ALPINA-badged model, reportedly known internally as the G69, should also have eight cylinders under the hood, considering the 7 Series G72 arriving next year will feature a V8. As with today’s model, a plug-in hybrid is unlikely.
BMW X7 Is (Partially) Entering The Neue Klasse Era
For now, these Italian spy shots offer another glimpse of a flagship SUV that’s steadily moving toward production. Expect some Neue Klasse design cues on the outside, bringing the X7 in line with the recently facelifted 7 Series. Similarly, the sedan’s screen-heavy dashboard should carry over to its SUV counterpart, complete with a 14.6-inch front-passenger screen and a massive 31.3-inch display for rear-seat occupants.
And if BMW gives the X9 the green light, it’ll offer more of everything when it arrives toward the end of the decade or in the early 2030s. First, BMW needs to roll out the new X7 before deciding whether Americans really need something even bigger. Honestly, my European mind cannot comprehend the appeal of an SUV larger than the X7, which I already find enormous. Then again, BMW knows its audience better than I do.
Photos: kindelauto / Instagram
