The official images released are directly from the assembly line and also from the pre-production BMW X7, properly camouflaged — as had already happened in the initial presentation of the X2. To see the final model in all its immensity, we will have to wait a year or so, with BMW announcing its final presentation for the end of 2018.
The start of pre-production for the rival Mercedes-Benz GLS and Range Rover marks the beginning of a new testing period, where it will face all kinds of extreme conditions, to ensure that any problems that may arise do not happen at hand future owners of the X7.
Production of the new BMW X7 will take place in Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA, where most of the BMW X range is already produced. It is currently the BMW group's largest factory in the world , having reached in 2016 a record of 411,000 units produced — around 70% of that volume is exported to 140 countries. It employs more than 9,000 people, with another 1,000 to be hired by 2021.
Knudt Flor, director of the BMW Group factory in SpartanburgWe are proud to produce the BMW X7 here in Spartanburg, the home of our X models. This is a very special vehicle and our employees are looking forward to yet another model from the X family. With the BMW X7, a total of five X models are exported from Spartanburg to the four corners of the globe.
BMW X7, what do we know?
We know it will have the biggest kidneys ever at BMW — it's not the most important feature of the new SUV, but it will certainly stand out the most. The X7 iPerformance, presented at the last Frankfurt Motor Show, turns out to be — we fear — too close a vision of the final product.
The name tells us its placement above the X5. It's bigger than this one in all directions, to make room for a third row of seats, raising the capacity for up to seven passengers. It will be the equivalent of the 7 Series in BMW SUVs , hoping, therefore, that you will inherit all the technology and luxury.
As for powertrains, it will resort to the six-cylinder in-line — gasoline and diesel — and V8 gasoline that we already know from other BMWs. Like the X7 iPerformance concept, the production X7 will also include a plug-in hybrid variant.
This year the brand has already celebrated the sale of 100,000 electrified cars . A number that will grow in the coming years — by 2025, 12 100% electric cars and 14 plug-in hybrids are planned.
The BMW X7 will have as main markets the US and China, where the appetite for these giants is great. The final presentation will take place at the end of 2018, with sales scheduled for the beginning of 2019.
