The all-new BMW X7 to
date has its official world debut in Los Angeles, we’ve already seen it more
than a month ago when BMW unveiled it online. Seeing it in the metal at the LA
Auto Show serves to remind us just how big this thing really is. Well, it needs
to be if it is to compete with Mercedes GLS.
The X7 is 5,164 mm long, 1,999 mm wide and 1,806 mm high.
It also has a generous wheelbase of 3,104 mm. The X7 accommodates up to seven
passengers on three rows of seats in a luxurious ambiance typical of BMW X
models. Even with all seats in place, the boot is big enough for 326 liters. It expands to 2,120 liters when folding down the
second and third row of seats.
In the United States, the 2019 BMW X7 will offer two
powertrains. The “entry-level” xDrive40i features a 3.0-liter turbocharged
inline six-cylinder that produces 335 hp between 5,500 and 6,500 rpm and 447 Nm of torque from 1,500–5,200 rpm. Paired to an eight-speed
automatic transmission that drives all four wheels, the engine allows the BMW
X7 to sprint from 0-96 km/h in 5.8 seconds.
The range-topping engine is the xDrive50i which is
BMW’s designation for a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 unit. It produces 456 hp
is between 5,250 and 6,000 rpm and 649 Nm of torque from 1,500 to
4,750 rpm. Equipped with the same transmission, the V8-powered X7 is six-tenths
of a second quicker than the six-cylinder model, covering the 0-60 mph sprint
in 5.2 seconds. Both models have a top speed of 209 km/h.
As with most BMW SUVs, the 2019 X7 will be built in
Spartanburg, South Carolina, starting next week. It will arrive in U.S.
dealerships in March 2019 with starting prices of US$ 73,900 (xDrive40i) and US$ 92,600 (xDrive50i) — excluding US$ 995 destination.
