Grand Size Luxury.
When the original X7 was launched it made quite a statement. It was a big brash super luxurious 7 seat SUV. Now it has been updated using the same formula but this time everything is just more, more tech, more luxury and more presence. The launch of the new X7 starts in August and will probably remain a key seller in a few markets like North America, China, Australia and Germany. As the class would suggest this vehicle won’t be cheap but more on that later. Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty.
Powertrains.
To move this behemoth around will require some decent grunt and as usual, BMW has the options under the bonnet to deliver. The whole range includes a new 48v mild hybrid system. The engine lineup consists of 2 petrol and 1 diesel. Starting at the bottom is the BMW X7 xDrive40i powered by the 3.0 straight 6 lump rated at 280kw and 520N.m. The diesel is also a 3.0 litre 6 cylinder and it’s good for 250kw and a rather healthy 700N.m. The range-topper is the M60i which uses the twin-turbo 4.4l V8 to push out a stout 390kw and 750N.m. All three models use the Steptronic 8 speed auto box.
Performance figures have been claimed as follows, 0-100km/h for the M40i – 5.8 seconds, M60i – 4.7 seconds and the M40d completes the dash in 6.1 seconds. Top speeds are 250km/h, 250km/h and 243km/h respectively. The engine configurations and performance stats are pretty much what you would expect for this class of vehicles.
Drivable Lounge
Luxury and tech are where this car really shines and ultimately what it was made for. The main advantage of the X7’s overall size is the large interior space it creates. The generous spaciousness of the new BMW X7 can be enjoyed across three rows of seats. The second row of seats accommodates three passengers as standard or two in individual seats as an option. The new X7 now incorporates BMW’s new curved Display comprising of a 12.3″ driver info screen and a 14.9″ infotainment display. Both displays are set behind one sheet of curved glass angling towards the driver.
Ambient lighting which is now par for the course in modern luxury cars is also standard and has a selection of 15 colours helping set the tone of the drive. With all seats up, the boot capacity is 326 litres. If you fold all the seats down this thing has 2120 litres of capacity although I highly doubt anyone would actually use it to cart stuff around with it.
Verdict
The way I see the new X7 is as either a chauffeur-driven company vehicle for carting a few of the elites around at once or as a Luxurious way to move your larger family around. Of the 3 on offer at this stage, I would recommend the 40d. It has more than enough power and performance on tap with 700N.m of torque. With a claimed consumption figure of 8.7L per 100km, it is also quite effiecient.
