- Expected to be larger than the current model
- New engine options expected
Around a month after BMW officially confirmed a new generation of the X7, the full-size SUV has been caught testing. Although the prototype is cloaked in camouflage, a few interesting details stand out. For example, the quad exhaust system confirms that this is an M Performance model. A full-fat X7 M isn’t happening. As with all future ICE versions, the not-quite-M model is dropping the “i” from its name.
The profile gives the impression that we are looking at a larger vehicle than the current model. This prototype appears to have a slightly bigger quarter glass, suggesting a more spacious cabin with additional rear legroom. The door handles aren’t where you would expect them, because the new X7 adopts the small winglets on the beltline already seen on the next-gen X5. This minimalist setup was first applied to the Vision Neue Klasse X and the M8-based Skytop.
Looking at these spy shots, one would usually be tempted to say that the X7 retains the unusual split headlight layout introduced with the G07’s facelift in 2022. However, the daytime running lights, which as usual, double up as turn signals, and are also mounted low on the front fascia, next to the main beams. The DRLs have a rather unusual design, with two separate, almost perpendicular bars. However, BMW might be trying to fool onlookers. These are clearly temporary headlights, and early prototypes of the 7-Series G70 didn’t show their separate DRLs either.
The kidney grille appears nicely proportioned, though it’s certainly not small. At the rear, the taillights look basic, but that’s because they’re also temporary. It stands to reason that the production lights will extend onto the tailgate, which likely retains the split-opening design, judging by how the camouflage is interrupted. This test vehicle is missing the red reflectors located above those massive quad exhaust tips.
Since these images prove this is an ‘M lite’ model, there is likely a brawny V8 under the hood. The new S68 engine already powers today’s X7 M60i, so its successor will probably keep the mild-hybrid, 4.4-litre, twin-turbo V8. It produces 523bhp in the current car, and a massive 631bhp in the ALPINA XB7.
Although the X7 will retain all eight cylinders in the United States, that might not be the case in Europe. The EU’s stricter emissions regulations could force BMW to limit the posh family hauler to six-cylinder engines. The “G67” is expected to enter series production in Spartanburg, South Carolina in August 2027, making it an MY2028 car. A fully electric iX7 based on the same CLAR platform is also in the pipeline, featuring next-gen batteries and motors debuting in the Neue Klasse iX3 crossover and the i3 sedan.
