X7 BMW X7: Spy Pics & Info

[klier]

Yeah but I don't think it will be this year if it's launching in '17?

Can a mod please change the title of the thread to something like "X7: Spy Pics and Info"? @Giannis

 

[Betty Swollocks]

After BMW showed the "Concept Gran Coupe" and the "Vision Future Luxury" in China I'm sure a X7 based Concept will also have its premiere there.

Not to mention the concept M5 (F10).

Yeah but I don't think it will be this year if it's launching in '17?

If it's a "Vision" type of concept, which I think it will be, then two years ahead seems about right to me. The 95% production ready concepts are usually much closer to the production launch date.

 

[EnI]

Those G12 prototypes with added weights on the roof & hood miss something essential to make them X7-mules: higher ground clearance / riding height. That's not an SAV chassis - it's sitting way to low. It's a regular sedan chassis. What I think it's going on here is they are doing some suspension & driving systems tests under higher load: either for armored G12 (most likely) or perhaps even for the X7 chassis. But this hardly males those G12 prototypes X7-mules.

When eg. BMW tested F25 X3 they used E91 3er Tourings as mules - with evidently higher ground clearance / riding height & both the tracks were also wider (resulting in more bulged wheel arches on mule cars).




Same case with E84 X1 - when also E91 3er Tourings were used as mules: this time also with elevated riding height (although not as high as in X3 case) and the mules were wearing heavily camouflaged X1 front.



Those ARE real mules. The G12 7er prototype with added load isn't!

 

[Rainer271]

In about two years time, BMW will unveil their first full seven seater SUV. The BMW X7 will be built on the new production line in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

According to our sources, the design of the X7 has yet to be fully finalized, but it’s expected to be completely frozen this year. Test mules are already out testing different component of the X7, from engines to drivetrain and suspensions, mostly installed on top of the 7 Series platform.

The X7 will go in direct competition with models like the Mercedes GL, the Infiniti QX80 or the Cadillac Escalade , which are successful in the United States.

The large premium SUV will be built upon the new car architecture that BMW announced recently and will share many of its components with other X models.

The BMW X7 will come with some new features and a modern design, so we expect to see a larger than usual kidney grille, a massive front bumper with large air intakes and an elegant look from the side. It will offer seating for seven and extensive cargo space.

Under the hood, the BMW X7 would most likely use the X6 engines, from a 3.0 liter six-cylinder powerplant to the 4.4 V8 with 555 horsepower.

Early projections put the sales of the BMW X7 between 40,000 and 50,000 units a year. The G07 BMW X7 is rumored to cost around 125,000 euros in Europe.

Rendering: 2018 BMW X7 SUV

The rendering is an old one therefore I have renounced to post it.

 

[klier]

Those ARE real mules. The G12 7er prototype with added load isn't!

There is absolutely no way of knowing. You cannot tell those things by looking at pictures.

All media is reporting the pics to be X7 mules, so X7 mules they are.

 

[EnI]

Klier, think!

How can a sedan chassis - with relatively low riding height - also be a chassis for a full-size SAV which features quite generous riding height & ground clearance? It can't!

Those G12 prototypes feature regular 7er chassis. It's not X7 chassis hidden under 7er body. No way. As I presented in my previous post with E91 mule pics: just look how an SAV chassis looks when it carries a wagon (or a sedan - the riding height of both is the same) - and that makes it a mule. Those G12 prototypes look nothing like SAV mules.

Here is another one - Maserati Ghibli mule for Levante SUV:

More: SPYSHOTS: Maserati Levante SUV test mule spotted

Or Jaguar XF mule for F-Pace SUV:

More: Jaguar SUV Mule: Spy Shots Photo Gallery - Autoblog


Notice the SUV-like ground clearance & riding height - much higher than on a sedan, doesn't it? Since the SUV chassis is featured.

G12 prototypes with added weights on the hood & roof look nothing like SUV mules. Period.

If it doesn't look like a dog, if it doesn't bark like dog, if it doesn't walk like a dog ... IT'S NOT A DOG!

 

[SCOTT27]

A new Render. But it kind of looks compact like an X3. Incorporating a more elongated Touring is the only aspect of this render that appears realistic.

 

[Betty Swollocks]

Incorporating a more elongated Touring is the only aspect of this render that appears realistic.

Thanks.

If there are any other renders which also look nothing like the production X7 then we'd all love to see them!

 

[Rainer271]

Sarcasm pure.

 

[klier]

Klier, think!

That's going to be hard, but I'll give it a try;

...with the weight added to the top of the car I was thinking they were mimicking much higher center of gravity It's clearly just an early stage because the car isn't coming out in two years.

Just like BMWBlog was convinced the M4 with safety car stickers was the motoGP car, I still say it's impossible to determine anything as of right now.

edit; and thanks to @Giannis for changing the title. Looks much better this way, and it's really cool to continue this thread that started in 2008!

 

[Deleted member 25]

Waouw 7 years and only 8 pages.

 

[Beemer B773ER]

A new Render. But it kind of looks compact like an X3. Incorporating a more elongated Touring is the only aspect of this render that appears realistic.

As an X5 LCI that would be fantastic!

 

[klier]

Waouw 7 years and only 8 pages.

Yeah, it's pretty amazing. The first age alone spawns in 2008 and ends in 2010. Revived every time, just like the X7; dead-alive-dead-alive....alive.
And now it has become the official spy pic thread, and it will likely reach 50 pages at the very least.

 

[Betty Swollocks]

And now it has become the official spy pic thread, and it will likely reach 50 pages at the very least.

Before being abruptly brought to a halt in 18 months when fuel hits $200 a barrel and BMW say the market has crashed for the X7, just like the Concept CS.

 

[klier]

Haha, yeah, but they are too late. They have begun pouring money into a production car. Spartanburg is being made ready. We'll see one generation at the very least, it's a done deal

 

[Carmaker1]

Those G12 prototypes with added weights on the roof & hood miss something essential to make them X7-mules: higher ground clearance / riding height. That's not an SAV chassis - it's sitting way to low. It's a regular sedan chassis. What I think it's going on here is they are doing some suspension & driving systems tests under higher load: either for armored G12 (most likely) or perhaps even for the X7 chassis. But this hardly males those G12 prototypes X7-mules.

When eg. BMW tested F25 X3 they used E91 3er Tourings as mules - with evidently higher ground clearance / riding height & both the tracks were also wider (resulting in more bulged wheel arches on mule cars).




Same case with E84 X1 - when also E91 3er Tourings were used as mules: this time also with elevated riding height (although not as high as in X3 case) and the mules were wearing heavily camouflaged X1 front.



Those ARE real mules. The G12 7er prototype with added load isn't!

This is not the first time some of these hacks put out nonsensical information as "fact". So many of their readers do suffer from swallowing these glaring inaccuracies and come across as ignorant at times from being mislead. I am really tired of this honestly, as such crap like this spreads around like wildfire as factual and one has to debunk it en masse, in order to kill a silly rumour.

The lot of them are only good for spy photos, with a few being consistently reputable. Only BMW-specific sites and GCF seem to be aware of this error, while the rest will easily assume that's an X7 mule. If BMW did not test the E39 saloon with weights for the E53, then why would G11 or G12 suffice for X7 mules? They have special mules as you said for that, before proper IEX prototypes. SMDH

 

[SCOTT27]

Even though you have not seen evidence you would be surprised what goes on behind closed doors and indeed at BMWs clandestine test tracks in regards to future product. Just because you have not seen them publically does not mean they don't exist.

@Betty Swollocks like you I am in a kind of sarcastic but extremely humorous mood this evening so I will just leave this here.
Remember its all in fun and good humour...

 

[Giannis]

you would be surprised what goes on behind closed doors and indeed at BMWs clandestine test tracks in regards to future product

I'm sure they are testing many new MPVs, vans, people movers, light trucks, heavy trucks, tractors and agricultural machinery

 

[Rainer271]

I'm sure they are testing many new MPVs, vans, people movers, light trucks, heavy trucks, tractors and agricultural machinery

Giannis, are you related with Betty?

 

[Giannis]

Giannis, are you related with Betty?

I've never met the guy (though I would really love to), but I understand his concerns for the future of our favourite brand.