BMW X7 flagship SUV offers 7-seat luxury
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RespondBMW is filling out its product lineup with the launch of its largest crossover to date.
The new X7 will be available in March 2019 at a base price of 84,300 euros in Germany.
The vehicle addresses a shortcoming in BMW's crossover lineup -- a true seven-seat option. The X7 comes standard with three-row seating for seven passengers.
Currently, the X5 crossover offers third-row seating, but is not a full-size SUV, said Akshay Anand, executive analyst at Kelley Blue Book.
"Large SUVs tend to fill more "needs" than "wants" for consumers shopping that segment, so BMW will attempt to gain a foothold," Anand said.
The X7 should add incremental sales for BMW, as consumers continue to migrate from cars to crossovers and SUVs.
The BMW X7 will compete with the Mercedes-Benz GLS, Audi Q7 and Range Rover.
The Mercedes-Benz GLS and Audi Q7 have owned the large luxury utility market in the U.S. for years, said Sam Fiorani, vice president at AutoForecast Solutions. Lexus' RX350L joined the club in 2017.
"When the difference between the top four luxury brands … is as narrow as it is, every niche model helps," Fiorani said. "Not only will the X7 provide much needed volume in the three-row crossover market, but it will also generate the additional profit that a high-end model brings."
Bold design
At 5156mm (203 inches) long, 2006mm wide and 1803mm tall, the X7 dominates BMW's crossover lineup. The X7's kidney grill -- the largest ever designed for a BMW model -- is bookended by slim twin headlights that emphasize the width of the car.
BMW will offer the X7 xDrive40i gasoline model alongside the BMW X7 xDrive30d and the BMW X7 M50d diesel models for the European market.
All engine variants are linked to an eight-speed Steptronic transmission, which will offer a wider gear ratio spread and new control electronics to help increase the powertrain's overall efficiency, BMW said.
The X7 comes with an array of sensors and technologies that take the drudgery out of driving including the Driving Assistant Professional package which includes a semi-automated driving system that allows for hands-free and pedal-free driving on limited-access highways and at speeds slower than 60 kph (37 mph).
The system, which debuts this year in the redesigned X5, uses an in-cabin optical camera to address a critical challenge with semi-automated driving systems — ensuring that drivers are paying attention to the road. The camera mounted in the instrument cluster that checks to see that the driver's eyes are open and facing the road. The camera does not record in-cabin activity, BMW emphasized.
The X7 also comes with safety features including blind spot detection, lane departure warning, rear collision warning and a system that alerts the driver if cyclists are detected and Parking Assistant Plus, which provides panorama view and 3D view. A head-up display is also available.
The X7 also features BMW's new Intelligent Personal Assistant, an AI-powered system to help drivers communicate with their cars as they do with their smartphones.
The X7 will be the fifth model to be built at BMW's U.S. plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Last year, the factory produced 371,284 crossovers, 70 percent of which were exported to 140 countries.
Automotive News Europe contributed to this report
You can reach Urvaksh Karkaria at ukarkaria@crain.com.
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