2019 BMW X7 Officially Unveiled
Although we drove a pre-production version of the 2019 BMW X7 last summer, wrapped up in camouflage, the company has just official pictures of its newest—and biggest—SUV.
The X7 will be built in Spartanburg, South Carolina, alongside the 2019 BMW X5, which received a full redesign, sharing many components. The X7’s wheelbase is 130 millimetres longer than the X5’s (3105 mm vs. 2975 mm), and overall length is up by 207 mm, providing more interior space for rear-seat occupants. Three-row, seven-passenger seating is standard, although second-row captain’s chairs can be ordered for a six-passenger layout, and those seats include the same power-adjustments as the front ones, in addition to integrated armrest and comfort cushions. With all seats upright, cargo space is rated at 1376 litres, while folding down the second and third rows yields a cargo area of 2560 litres.
The interior furnishings are on par with the quality and finish found in the BMW 7 Series sedan, although the instrument panel design is virtually identical to the X5’s. Also on board are twin 12.3-inch LCD screens, as is the 7.0 operating system—BMW’s latest infotainment software—which brings new connectivity features. On the options list are a panoramic sunroof, head-up display, BMW Laserlights, an app allowing a smartphone to act as car key, a rear-seat Blu-ray entertainment system with dual touchscreens as well as a 1500-watt Bowers & Wilkins Diamond sound system.
BMW claims the X7’s signature kidney grille is the largest one even fitted to their models, because of course, bigger is better. It boasts a more upright stance than the X5 with its broad shoulders and hips, and the standard 21-inch alloy wheels further enhance the SUV’s massiveness.
Two versions of the 2019 BMW X7 will be offered at launch. The xDrive40i boasts a turbocharged, 3.0-litre inline-six that develops 335 horsepower as well as 330 pound-feet of torque from 1500 to 5200 rpm. The 0 to 100 km/h sprint is said to take 6.1 seconds. The xDrive50i gets a twin-turbo, 4.4-litre V8 that belts out 456 horsepower as well as 479 pound-feet of torque between 1500 and 4750 rpm, good for 0-100 blasts of 5.4 seconds.
The X7 iPerformance concept featured a plug-in hybrid powertrain, but we might have to wait another year or two before seeing one in the production X7. It will likely get the same one as the X5 xDrive45e that will turn up in 2020, consisting of a turbocharged six-cylinder and an electric motor that will provide a total of 394 horsepower, 442 pound-feet of torque and an EV driving range of about 80 kilometres.
Pricing hasn’t yet been announced, but we’re expecting a base price of about $80K. For the record, the X5 xDrive40i starts at $71,000 while the xDrive50i retails from $86,000. The 2019 BMW X7 will go on sale next March.
