Car Enthusiast - click here to access the home page


 


BMW reveals 2019 X7 SUV. Image by BMW.

BMW reveals 2019 X7 SUV
<< earlier BMW article     later BMW article >>

 


News homepage -> BMW news

What's the news?

This is our first look at BMW's all-new, seven-seat SUV flagship, called the X7.

Hang on - haven't you already driven this thing?

Well, yes, but that was in heavily-disguised, prototype form earlier this year. This is the finished article.

Right-o. Want to tell me what the flip is going on with the X7's kidney grilles?

Umm... yes. They're, er... they're large, aren't they?

Large?! That's underselling it somewhat...

Maybe, but you're going to have to get used to them - BMW's Vision iNext concept has already demonstrated that whopping kidneys are here to stay for the foreseeable. But the rest of the X7's not too bad, considering it's 5,151mm long... with 3,105mm of that taken up by wheelbase. The back's pretty neat and inoffensive, the sides don't look too heavy and slab-like, and it will sit upon 20- to 22-inch alloys, so there's little chance of it being visually under-wheeled. It even incorporates the Hofmeister kink in its D-pillar, while the slim headlights up front will be LEDs as standard and optionally upgradable to LaserLights.

I take it, as it's so big outside, that the cabin is capacious?

It is indeed. The latest X5 remains available in a '5+2' configuration but, if you get the X7 in seven-seat trim (there's a 'six captain's chairs' option), then with a full complement of humans onboard there's still a 326-litre boot available at the back - that's like a C-segment hatchback's cargo area. Chuck out passengers six and seven and fold their pews away and the boot space rises to 750 litres, while if you fancy driving your X7 around with only the front two seats in place, you have a cavernous 2,120 litres at your disposal.

So this is basically a 4x4 BMW van?

Har-har. No, it's a luxury limo on stilts. Acoustic glass wraps the front of the cabin to isolate occupants from noise outside, while as standard the X7 will come with the beautiful twin 12.3-inch TFT screens of BMW Live Cockpit Professional. The head-up display for the driver is version 3.0, with a bigger field showing more information, while ambient lighting and air packages should ensure a serene atmosphere for however many people are travelling in the BMW SUV. There can be a 'Crafted Clarity' glass gear lever and heated/cooled cupholders in the front and don't worry if you're in row three of the X7, because you're still treated to luxuries - climate control, for instance, is plumbed back there, with the controls for your own zone of temperature and so on mounted in the BMW's roof lining. Options will include a full-length panoramic roof incorporating ambient LED lighting and a Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound system with an ear-popping 1,500-watt output, channelled through 20 speakers in glorious 3D audio.

Presumably, some monster engines move all this stuff about?

Yes, it's familiar BMW TwinPower Turbo power, leading to four launch models - but you might as well forget about the 462hp 4.4 V8 xDrive50i, as that X7 is not destined for Europe. One petrol engine is, though, which is the 3.0-litre, straight-six xDrive40i, which turns in 340hp and 450Nm. It is complemented by a single-turbo xDrive30d, which is also a 3.0-litre six-pot, delivering 265hp/620Nm. That, though, is overshadowed by the M50d, which is also a 3.0 six... but with FOUR turbos. Power is 400hp, torque is 760Nm, performance is remarkable: 0-62mph takes 5.4 seconds and the top speed is 155mph, numbers that are somewhat put into context by the M50d's 2.5-tonne kerb weight. All X7s are xDrive and fitted with an eight-speed Steptronic auto transmission, while twin-axle air suspension, Integral Active Steering, electric anti-roll stabilisers and bespoke xDrive and gearbox settings are part of the BMW's spec sheet. For those who like to get their SUVs' tyres dirty, then you'll be pleased to know an off-road specific differential lock will be bundled into an option pack for this kind of rough stuff.

Have you got any eco-stats?

Yes, these numbers heading your way are NEDC correlated from BMW's WLTP ratified testing, and we'll only quote the best figures for each model (bigger alloys and M Sport-spec will negatively affect these, y'see), but - ignoring the xDrive50i - you've got the greenest, which is the xDrive30d, which achieves bests of 43.5mpg and 171g/km CO2; then it's the M50d, not too far behind the 30d with 40.4mpg and 185g/km; and finally, the xDrive40i rocks in with 32.5mpg and 198g/km. To put a little more meat on the bones of the X7's hierarchy, we've already touched upon the M50d, but the 30d will run 0-62mph in 7.0 seconds exactly, with a top speed of 141mph, while the 40i justifies its relative thirstiness with a 6.1-second 0-62mph sprint and a 152mph top speed.

Any prices for all this?

BMW UK has confirmed that pricing will start at £72,155 on-the-road for the X7 xDrive30d.



Matt Robinson - 16 Oct 2018


2019 BMW X7. Image by BMW.2019 BMW X7. Image by BMW.2019 BMW X7. Image by BMW.2019 BMW X7. Image by BMW.2019 BMW X7. Image by BMW.

2019 BMW X7. Image by BMW.2019 BMW X7. Image by BMW.2019 BMW X7. Image by BMW.2019 BMW X7. Image by BMW.2019 BMW X7. Image by BMW.









www.bmw.co.uk    - BMW road tests
- BMW news
- X7 images






New BMW 5 Series Touring launches as EV. Image by BMW.
BMW 5 Series Touring revealed
BMW i5 Touring kicks off the UK range at £69,040 for eDrive40, with 601hp M60 variant confirmed – and PHEV to follow.
 
Manual gearbox returns to BMW’s Z4 roadster. Image by BMW.
BMW Z4 M40i manual
Six-speed manual gearbox is designed to add more driver engagement to the 3.0-litre Z4 M40i.
BMW unveils lightly facelifted 4 Series Coupe and Convertible. Image by BMW.
BMW reveals 4 Series LCI
The new two-door cars get fresh technology and new headlights, plus a few other minor tweaks.

 
 215 Racing
 9ff
 A. Kahn Design
 Abarth
 Abt
 AC Cars
 AC Schnitzer
 Acura
 Aehra
 AIM
 Alfa Romeo
 Alpina
 Alpine
 Amari
 APS Sportec
 Arash
 Arden
 Ares
 Ariel
 Arrinera
 Artega
 Ascari
 Aston Martin
 Atalanta
 Atomik
 Audi
 Austin
 Auto Union
 Autodelta
 Autofarm
 Autosport
 AVA
 Avatar
 Axon
 Aznom
 BAC
 BAIC
 Bentley
 Bertone
 Bizzarrini
 Bloodhound
 Bluebird
 BMW
 Bosch
 Bowler
 Brabham
 Brabus
 Breckland
 Bridgestone
 Brilliance
 Bristol
 Bugatti
 Buick
 Burton
 BYD
 Cadillac
 Callaway
 Callum
 Caparo
 Capstone
 Carlsson
 Caterham
 CCG
 Chang'an
 Changfeng
 Chevrolet
 Chevron
 Chongfeng
 Chrysler
 Citroen
 Climax
 Connaught
 Cooper Tires
 Corvette
 Cummins
 Cupra
 Dacia
 Daewoo
 Daihatsu
 Daimler
 Dartz
 Datsun
 David Brown
 David Brown Automotive
 DDR
 De Tomaso
 Delta
 Detroit Electric
 Devon
 Dodge
 Donkervoort
 Drayson
 DS
 Eagle
 Eagle E-type
 EDAG
 edo competition
 Eterniti
 Everrati
 Evisol
 Exagon
 FAB Design

 
 Factory Five
 Faralli & Mazzanti
 Fenix
 Fenomenon
 Ferrari
 Fiat
 Fisker
 Ford
 G-Power
 Geely
 Gemballa
 General Motors
 Genesis
 Ginetta
 Giugiaro
 Glickenhaus
 GMC
 Goodwood
 Google
 Gordon Murray
 Gordon Murray Automotive
 Gordon Murray Design
 Gray Design
 Great Wall
 GTA
 GTM
 Gumpert
 Hamann
 Hartge
 HBH
 Heffner Performance
 Hennessey
 HERE
 HiPhi
 Holden
 Honda
 Hulme
 Hummer
 Hyundai
 I.D.E.A
 Icona
 IFR
 Infiniti
 Ionity
 Isis
 JAC
 Jaguar
 Jeep
 Jensen
 Jetstream
 JJAD
 Joss Developments
 Kahn
 Kamala
 Keating
 Kia
 Koenigsegg
 KTM
 Kumho
 Lada
 Lagonda
 Lamborghini
 Lancia
 Land Rover
 Lexus
 Liberty
 Lightning
 Lincoln
 Lister
 Loma Performance
 Lorinser
 Lotus
 LupiniPower
 Luxgen
 Mahindra
 Mansory
 Maserati
 Mastretta
 Maybach
 Mazda
 McLaren
 Mercedes
 Mercedes-AMG
 Mercedes-Benz
 Mercedes-Maybach
 Mercury
 Metrocab
 MG
 Michelin
 MINI
 Mitsubishi
 MMI
 Monte Carlo
 Mopar
 Morgan
 Mosler
 MTM
 Munro
 NAC MG
 Nichols Cars
 Nissan
 NLV

 
 Noble
 Novitec
 Opel
 Overfinch
 Pagani
 Perodua
 Peugeot
 Piaggio
 Pininfarina
 Polestar
 Pontiac
 Porsche
 Praga
 Preview
 Prodrive
 Project Runningblade
 Project Velocity
 Proton
 Protoscar
 Qoros
 Radical
 Range Rover
 Red Bull
 Renault
 Reva
 Rimac
 Rinspeed
 RoadRazer
 Rolls-Royce
 Ronn Motor Company
 Rover
 RUF
 Saab
 SAIC
 Saleen
 Saturn
 Scagliarini
 SCG
 Scion
 SDR Sportscars
 SEAT
 Sin
 Singer
 Skoda
 Smart
 Soleil
 Spada
 speedArt
 Sportec
 Spyker
 SRT
 Ssangyong
 SSC
 Startech
 STaSIS
 Subaru
 Suzuki
 Suzusho
 TAD
 Tamiya
 Tata
 Techart
 Tesla
 The Little Car Company
 THINK
 Thunder Power
 Tojeiro
 Tommy Kaira
 TomTom
 Toray
 Toyota
 Trabant
 TranStar
 Trident
 Tushek
 TVR
 UKCOTY
 Vanda Electrics
 Vauxhall
 Velozzi
 Vencer
 Venturi
 Veritas
 Vizualtech
 VL Automotive
 Volkswagen
 Volvo
 VUHL
 WCA
 WCotY
 Webasto
 Westfield
 Wiesmann
 Xenatec
 Yamaha
 Zagato
 Zarooq
 Zeekr
 Zenos
 Zenvo



 
 






External links:   | Irish Car Market News |

Internal links:   | Home | Privacy | Contact us | Archives | Old motor show reports | Follow Car Enthusiast on Twitter | Copyright 1999-2024 ©