2027 BMW X7 Is Gaining Something In Common With A Mustang

This is our first look at the second generation of BMW’s biggest SUV. The all-new BMW X7, expected to come to market in 2027, is showing off that BMW is planning to deliver much of the same. Instead of Neue Klasse design like the rest of the German automaker’s lineup, this one is sticking with the giant and tall grille.

It’s also borrowing one small detail from the Ford Mustang Mach-E. Those tiny door handles mounted to the door frame. They might be sleeker, but they’re very weird. We’re also expecting to see them on the next-generation X5, so perhaps there is some Neue Klasse in this update.

BMW Just Confirmed Second-Generation X7

BMW must have known that the CarBuzz spy photographers captured the new X7 today. Because it’s only today that the company officially announced that a second-generation X7 would even be built. That was via its first quarter financial results, which said it had R&D spending on the books for the new X7 as well as the next X5 and the iX3. The X7 three-row SUV first went on sale in 2019. It got a mid-life refresh in 2022, but the changes were minimal.

It looks like BMW’s changes might be minimal once again. Though heavily camouflaged, the new nose appears to have the extra-tall grilles of the controversial nose of the current model and the luxurious 7 Series sedan. They are cut in half on this development prototype, which was spotted testing in Germany, though, so BMW could be trying to mislead us.

Exposed rivets on that nose show that this model is very early in the development process. When changes happen quickly and don’t require anything like production-level fit and finish. We can see more rivets on the hood and fenders, which could mean that BMW is trying different parts or is trying to hide its real plans.

The X7 prototype appears to have the stacked running light and headlight signature of the current model. That, too, might not be meant for production. If it is, the main lamps are much lower and more square than before. The taillights also appear to be prototype units, not what we can expect to see.

Is The Split Hatch Going Away? Let’s See

Other details of note include the traditional BMW SUV split tailgate, where the top section opens upward and the lower section folds down to offer a bench. While there is a tape line where the cut would normally be, it’s hard to tell if there’s an actual body line there. The line is much higher than where BMW’s cut would typically be, which suggests that the new X7 may have a one-piece tailgate this time around, but it would be odd for the vehicle to lose something it shares with the Range Rover.

This SUV is a long way from production, so that, like this next bit, is speculation. The second bit of speculation comes from the power source. The quad tailpipes hint at gas power, and BMW has said it is developing new gas engines, but there is also a hint of what appears to be a charging port door on the driver’s side. It is hidden, much more so than the clearly visible fuel filler on the passenger side, but it could show BMW’s future plans for an EV or PHEV.

The new X7 is rumored to be based on the CLAR WE architecture. That’s the second generation of the platform used for the original X7, and it is used for the current BMW iX and 7 Series models. As the i7 shows, it supports both gas and electric power. The X7 is expected to offer an electric iX7 version for the first time as a result.

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We expect to see this SUV again over the coming year, and to get more details and information along the way. For now, we know there is a second-generation of the South Carolina-built X7 coming, and you can expect it on sale in 2027.