BMW X7

BMW recently invited me to sample their latest offering to the South African market, and the first product of its kind – the BMW X7. It’s a luxurious behemoth and aims to strengthen BMW’s presence in the luxury vehicle market. The X7 is the biggest BMW model and features three rows of seats for its occupants. It’s available as standard with the second row as a conventional bench seat, although an optional ‘captain’s chair’ row is available which replaces the second row of seats with two individual seats with armrests on both sides.

Performance

The BMW X7 is available in two derivatives at launch. The entry-level X7 30d is powered by a 6-cylinder 195kW turbodiesel engine which manages to move the massive X7 around with relative ease thanks to its 620Nm of torque. At the top of the range you’ll find the BMW X7 M50d, which produces 294kW of power and 760Nm of torque from its turbodiesel engine. Both models make use of BMW’s all-wheel xDrive system, which means the 30d will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 7.0-seconds while
the M50d will do it in 5.4-seconds. BMW claims fuel consumption figures of 6.5-litres/100km on the 30d and 7.0-litres/100km on the M50d. There is a much more hardcore version coming soon. The BMW X7 M50i will make
use of a twin-turbocharged petrol 4.4-litre V8 that will produce 390kW of power and 750Nm of torque, propelling it from 0-100km/h in 4.7-seconds.

Design

The first thing that’s immediately noticeable about the BMW X7 is its presence. It is big and not afraid to make its presence known, mostly thanks to the controversial new kidney grilles. Most people will complain about their size, but I think its better to have huge grilles than tiny ones. The X7 is produced in the Spartanburg factory, which also produces the X3, X4, X5 and X6 models. Just like the rest of the X-family, the X7 comes equipped with adaptive suspension as standard, as well as 21-inch wheels. These can be increased to 22-inches if you tick the right options. The X7 is also available in two different designs: Design Pure Excellence which employs a more regal design, and the M Sport package which incorporates sporty vents and lines, with exclusive options available from BMW Individual.

The interior is the real highlight of the X7. The cabin is filled with leather, metal and an optional glass package that replaces the conventional start button and gear knob with glass bits. The roof is finished in alcantara, hiding the big panoramic sunroof.
There is an optional feature that fills the sunroof with tiny points that turn into lights at night to replicate the feeling of being under the stars.

Behind the wheel

I drove the entry-level X7 30d first, and I was impressed with how smooth the ride was. Bumps on the road were virtually non-existent and it just glided over everything. The size of the X7 is noticeable for the first few minutes but is easy to get used to. Our unit was equipped with the optional Bang and Olufsen sound package, so most of my drive was spent in comfort mode enjoying some high-quality sound. I was disappointed when I had to summon the Sport mode because the 30d does not like to be in a hurry. Overtaking takes a bit longer than usual but happens eventually. This problem was solved as soon as I hopped into the M50d model, which spoils the driver with bucketloads of torque. As quick as the M50d model is, you don’t really feel the speed. I was not bothered by this because the X7 really makes you fall in love with its comfort. However, I did notice that the M50d was just not as comfortable, in terms of ride quality, as the 30d.

Verdict

After driving both models and understanding what the BMW X7 is all about, I found myself enjoying the superior comfort of the X7 30d over the performance of the M50d. As nice as the extra power is, the comfort is just not on the same level as the 30d.

Pricing
BMW X7 xDrive 30d – R1,562,849
BMW X7 M50d – R1,862,308
BMW X7 M50i – R1,871,542