X7 arrives to take on Mercedes GLS and Audi Q7
The 2019 BMW X7 has been revealed with a stunning set of images. At first glance the strong front end is distinguishable as nothing other than a BMW. Oversized kidney grills with active flaps, the largest in BMW history, dominate with thin sleek lights at the upper edge to give X7 a rather imposing and unique look.
Four years since its announcement the 7 seater is now here to take on rivals such as the Mercedes GLS and Audi Q7.
To accommodate the, as standard, 7 seats, the rear doors are larger than the front for easier access and the middle row can be specified to 2 individual comfort seats rather than 3. The 3rd row comes with arm rests, cup holders and USB ports along with them being full size and with space between them which is a first for a 4×4. Leather is standard and all seats are electrically adjustable.
The interior is also boosted by a 3 part glass panoramic roof which again is standard across all models.
The driver cockpit uses BMWs newly designed display grouping that features on the standard fit BMW Live Cockpit Professional which includes a 12.3″ digital instrument cluster and a controller display complimented by the look and feel of the standard sports leather steering wheel.
Boot capacity is 326 litres increasing to a whopping 2,120 litres when the 2nd and 3rd row of seats are folded down.
X7 will launch with 3 engines. A newly developed 6 Cylinder in-line Petrol for the xDrive40i and 2 in-line 6 Cylinder Diesel engines for the xDrive30d and M50d. All engines feature turbochargers and provisional figures suggest the petrol will output 340hp, the 30d 265hp and the 50d at 400hp with the 50d offering a huge 760nm of Torque.
X7 will also feature 21″ alloy wheels with self levelling air suspension as standard combined with double link front wishbones and a five link rear axle set up to provide extreme levels of comfort whilst offering agile handling. The car will lower at 86mph by 20mm or when Sport button is pressed. You can raise the height by 40mm to achieve maximum ground clearance and even lower it by 40mm to help loading or getting in and out.
An M Sport Diff is included on the M50d and is included with the off road package, that allows the rear diff to be electronically locked that works with the DSC system to combat understeer and improve cornering, this also improves grip on differing surfaces. M50d also comes with 22 inch M Light alloys in Cerium grey and chassis tweaks. The Off road package can be specified on all models except the M50d, which includes special graphics and off road driving modes to cater for different situations.
Other features of the X7 include parking assist and rear view assist as standard, which helps the driver park in confined spaces with the operator only having to control the accelerator and brake. The cameras as standard can provide a 360 view around the vehicle and from a smart phone app you can view your cars location visually.
Talking of smart phone apps X7 comes with BMW Digital Key which allows you to unlock and lock the car using Near Field Communication from your Samsung Android 8.1 phone, or by using a BMW Key Card that is supplied with the car.
X7 looks to take a swing at the competition, the standard array of features compliments the luxury and top of the line image this car already has, boasting BMWs latest tech and design language, we can’t wait to see how it performs in the real world.
The BMW X7 will go on sale in the UK, April 2019, with OTR prices starting from £72,155.