G07 BMW X7 makes its official debut – three-row SUV

G07 BMW X7 makes its official debut – three-row SUV

This imposing vehicle you see here is the all-new G07 BMW X7, which has been revealed as the flagship of the German automaker’s SUV (or SAV if you’re into BMW lingo) range. First previewed by the similarly named Concept X7 iPerformance just over a year ago, the three-row X7 serves as the counter to Mercedes-Benz’s own big SUV, the GLS.

Measuring 5,151 mm long, 2,000 mm wide and 1,805 mm tall, the X7 dwarfs the latest G05 X5 by being 229 mm longer and 60 mm taller. The significant length advantage that the X7 has also results in a more substantial wheelbase of 3,105 mm compared to the X5’s 2,975 mm.

When parked next to its closest rival, the GLS, the X7 is the larger of the two by 21 mm in length, 66 mm in width and 30 mm wheelbase-wise; the GLS wins by being 45 mm taller. Of course, a new GLS is currently under development so we’ll check back with this comparison when the X166’s successor arrives.

In terms of styling, the X7 remains rather true to the concept that previewed it in 2017. Up front, BMW is proud to admit the X7 has the “largest kidney grille ever designed for one of the brand’s models,” and we aren’t inclined to argue with that.

A pair of slim headlamps flank said grille and they are of the LED variety, with the option of upgrading them to an adaptive Laserlight system – identified by the blue X-shaped elements within. In standard specification, a horizontal chrome bar highlights the wide lower air intake.

Along the sides, prominent creases help to accentuate the Air Breather outlets that lead to the sill trim. You’ll also spot a line that runs from just below the top of the front wheel arch to the taillights, beneath the door handles.

At the rear, the X7’s taillights and chrome bar setup is almost identical to what was found on the concept (and G11/G12 7 Series). However, the large L-shaped outlets at the corners are omitted from the final product, with a pair of exhausts tucked away instead.

That shutline you see on the tailgate is for the two-section split tailgate (a la Range Rover), which can be electronically opened or closed. Add on the Comfort Access option and you can do the same hands-free as well.

Of course, BMW offers a selection of trim package, and with the Design Pure Excellence package, that chrome bar near the Air Curtains turns upwards at its outer edges as a nod to the concept.

Other aspects of the package include off-coloured front and rear skid plates, satin finish for the roof rails and side window frames, gloss black mirror triangles and wheels ranging from 21 to 22 inches in size.

Meanwhile, the M Sport package substitutes the bumpers for an M Aerodynamics set, with matching side skirts. A gloss black finish is also applied for the side window trim and triangles, while the M light-alloy wheels come in 20 to 22 inch sets. You’ll also get M Sport suspension, brakes, as well as a dedicated exhaust system. If money is no object, there’s always BMW Individual on hand for further personalisation.

Moving inside, the dashboard appears to be carried over wholesale from the concept, although the switchgear isn’t as sharply angled towards the driver. If you’ll notice, the flicked chrome bar on the exterior is replicated by the shape of the of corner air-con vents, while the centre pair isn’t unlike that on recent BMW models.

G07 BMW X7 makes its official debut – three-row SUV

BMW’s Live Cockpit Professional is present here, with a medley of two 12.3-inch displays – one acting as the digital instrument cluster and the other for the car’s iDrive infotainment system.

Just above the latter is part of the optional Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System with 20 speakers in total and a 1,500-watt amplifier. The standard setup consists of 10 speakers, and there is a mid-range, 16-speaker Harman Karman system as well.

Much further downwards, the centre console accommodates switchgear that is already a staple in models like the G20 3 Series and G05 X5, with ‘Crafted Clarity’ glass being used for the gear selector, start/stop button, iDrive controller and the audio system’s volume control.

Cars with the M Sport package gain an M Sport leather steering wheel, leather upholstery, floor mats, pedals, illuminated door sills and a specific key design.

Standard equipment on the X7 includes four-zone automatic climate control, Vernasca leather upholstery, ambient lighting, three-section panoramic glass roof, BMW Operating System 7.0 with Intelligent Personal Assistant and a full-colour head-up display.

Spend a little more and you can upgrade to a five-zone climate control system with a control panel and additional vents for the third row; add on the Ambient Air package; have heated/cooled cup holders; wirelessly charge your phone; gain the Sky Lounge with more than 15,000 graphics patterns; and entertain second row passengers with a pair of 10.2-inch touchscreens.

By default, the X7 offers seating for up to seven people, with the middle row being a bench. BMW says third row seating isn’t an afterthought either, as passengers there will enjoy full-size seats that are complemented by armrests, cupholders, USB ports, and even heating.

For those that can do without the seventh member on board, the automaker can replace the second row bench for two individual seats that can slide longitudinally through 14.5 cm. All seats are can be electronically adjusted, including the backrests for the second and third row, which you can control via buttons on the driver’s side and in the boot.

G07 BMW X7 makes its official debut – three-row SUV

When fully occupied, the X7 can swallow up to 326 litres of cargo in its boot, 750 litres with the second row folded down, and 2,120 litres with all seats folded down. The standard two-axle air suspension allows the load floor to be lowered by 40 mm, making loading cargo an easier exercise.

On the safety and driver assist front, BMW’s plethora of systems are available with the X7. These include Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function, Driving Assistant Professional with Steering and lane control assistant, Lane Change Warning and Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assistant and side collision protection, evasion aid, Crossing traffic warning, Priority warning and Wrong-way warning.

Finally, engines. At launch, the X7 will be offered with two petrol and diesel variants each. Focusing on the former, the first is the X7 xDrive40i which packs a 3.0 litre turbocharged in-line six cylinder engine with 340 PS (335 hp) from 5,500 to 6,500 rpm and 420 Nm of torque from 1,500 to 5,200 rpm. In this configuration, the 0-100 km/h time is 6.1 seconds and top speed is 245 km/h.

Moving on, there’s the X7 xDrive50i (not available in Europe) that comes with a 4.4 litre turbocharged V8 making 462 PS (456 hp) from 5,250 to 6,000 rpm and 650 Nm from 1,500 to 4,750 rpm. The century sprint here takes 5.4 seconds and a 250 km/h top speed is touted.

In diesel land, the starting point is the X7 xDrive30d with a 3.0 litre turbodiesel in-line six (265 PS or 261 hp at 4,000 rpm and 620 Nm from 2,000 to 2,500 rpm) that’ll do 0-100 km/h in seven seconds and hit 227 km/h flat out.

The other diesel option is an M Performance model called the X7 M50d, which also gets a 3.0 litre in-line six but serves up 400 PS (394 hp) at 4,400 rpm and 760 Nm from 2,000 to 3,000 rpm – it shares identical performance figures to the X7 xDrive50i.

All variants get an eight-speed Steptronic automatic transmission as standard along with BMW’s rear-biased xDrive all-wheel drive system. The X7 M50d is fitted with an M Sport differential for better traction and power transfer, which is also available for the X7 xDrive50i via the xOffroad package.

G07 BMW X7 makes its official debut – three-row SUV

Said package is also available for other variants, and adds on underguards, bespoke tuning for the powertrain and response, an off-road specific differential lock, and an extra button to cycle through specific xOffroad modes – xSnow, xSand, xGravel and xRocks.

Aside from the aforementioned air suspension, the SUV sports front double wishbones and a five-link rear suspension setup, with the option of Integral Active Steering (rear wheel steering) and Executive Drive Pro with active roll stabilisation.

The new X7 will be built at BMW Plant Spartanburg in South Carolina in the United States, with a worldwide market launch slated to begin in March 2019.

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Gerard Lye

Originating from the corporate world with a background in finance and economics, Gerard’s strong love for cars led him to take the plunge into the automotive media industry. It was only then did he realise that there are more things to a car than just horsepower count.

 

Comments

  • Afeeq on Oct 17, 2018 at 1:21 pm

    Didn’t know how to react at first but now I’m surprised. Wow. The more important question is pricing, don’t know about y’all Malaysian folks but I’m lucky to be in the U.S – 70k starting isn’t bad at all.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 2
    • Qunan on Oct 17, 2018 at 4:28 pm

      Cant wait balik kampung to U.S – Ulu Sepat.
      Breath of fresh air this weekend

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 1
      • German on Oct 17, 2018 at 11:00 pm

        BMW why didnt you buy Proton… then we drive Proton X7 instead of Cina X70 .. just change badge only

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
        • BMW was waiting to be bought by Geely but they went with Mesidis instead https://paultan.org/2018/03/13/geely-was-looking-at-bmw-before-buying-into-daimler/

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2
  • Mr. Octopus on Oct 17, 2018 at 1:48 pm

    Can’t help it. That grille… Hopefully looks better in real-life…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
  • Kmrzmn on Oct 17, 2018 at 1:50 pm

    BMW X5 from RM 366,837.09
    BMW X7 from RM 466K ?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 4
    • digidigi on Oct 17, 2018 at 5:13 pm

      wait long long, and the new x5 won’t be that cheap locally as well

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • BMWMERC on Oct 17, 2018 at 1:53 pm

    Look better than GLS

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 6
  • Copy Raja on Oct 17, 2018 at 2:30 pm

    Model naming, what else ? Is there anything Proton wont copy

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 5
  • passion on Oct 17, 2018 at 2:52 pm

    nice car. next.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 2
  • tuess on Oct 17, 2018 at 3:50 pm

    Wow… The oversized kidney grilles… Eyesore of the year

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 3
  • pengomel on Oct 17, 2018 at 5:10 pm

    oh same big nose, same eyes..maybe some sepet, same body, just uplifted surgery ass..what else?

    i really hope new headlight don’t shine bright silau like x5, please lah learn from volvo xc90 and q7 how to make proper led not silau headlight. one more thing, if make sliding door for back like vellfire should be convenient for tight space parking for this big suv.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • apamau on Oct 17, 2018 at 5:13 pm

    bit disappointed.. for big SUV,
    anything above 450k, i will take landcruiser 2017.
    this X7 is not that macho.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • albag on Oct 17, 2018 at 5:16 pm

    hope there is X7 M coming soon

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Not Toyota Fan on Oct 17, 2018 at 5:25 pm

    Damn!!! That chrome humongous kidney grill is just plain Fugly.

    Did Chris Bangle come back to design that?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1
  • Cullinan on Oct 17, 2018 at 5:37 pm

    Poor man’s Rolls royce

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 4
  • Rulered on Oct 17, 2018 at 6:15 pm

    I hope BMW will tone down their headlights for their recent models. It’ s blinding and irritating. Can be hazardous to other road users at times

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 4
  • zztop on Oct 18, 2018 at 1:27 am

    Already look dated. Next!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Azfar Azman on Oct 18, 2018 at 9:23 am

    New BMW 7 Series will same like that in soon

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Fanactic on Oct 18, 2018 at 9:27 am

    iPhone fans are thrill that Apple finally launch a larger screen model, the all new iPhone XS Max.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Zlatan on Oct 18, 2018 at 9:24 pm

    XC90 all day long

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
 

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