The Next X7 Is Caught Between What BMW Was And Where It’s Going

Eight years is a long time in modern BMW cycles, and the X7 is starting to show it. A replacement is already deep into development, and this next-gen model will usher the large SUV into the brand’s Neue Klasse design era with a noticeably sharper, more futuristic look.

However, early signs also point to styling cues borrowed from the updated 7-Series, with finer details, particularly the lighting signatures, echoing limited-run halo cars like the Skytop. The result could be an X7 that sits somewhere between BMW’s current design language and what comes next.

Read: BMW’s New Flagship SUV Is Split Between Old Design And New Direction

Despite the visual overhaul, the fundamentals are not being thrown out. The new X7 should retain roughly the same proportions as today’s model, continuing as a large three-row SUV. That said, early prototypes hint at a slight increase in length.

Where things do change dramatically is in the surfacing. The front and rear designs are being reworked almost entirely, while the side profile is expected to adopt cleaner, more sculpted lines.

Sugar Design/Instagram

Using recent prototype sightings as a foundation, render artist Sugar Design has attempted to digitally peel back the camouflage and preview what the production X7 might look like.

Among the most obvious changes will be at the front. Like the outgoing model, there will be split headlights. However, the upper DRLs will be reshaped and sit slightly wider than the current ones. Additionally, the main headlamps could be more neatly positioned within black shrouds.

Unlike newer electric models such as the iX3 and i3, the next-generation X7 is expected to retain its oversized kidney grilles. They now appear with horizontal slats and LED illumination, keeping the familiar visual identity intact while nudging it toward the Neue Klasse aesthetic.

Goodbye Door Handles?

Sugar Design/Instagram

Perhaps one of the new X7’s most unique features will be found on the sides. Recent spy shots have revealed it won’t have traditional door handles and instead have small fins just below the side windows, similar to the Ford Mustang Mach-E. These have been added to these renderings, and are certainly quite intriguing.

It is not entirely without precedent. Similar solutions have already appeared on limited-run BMW models such as the Skytop and Speedtop, and beyond the visual novelty, they may help improve airflow and efficiency, particularly on electrified variants.

The rear is also all-new. We’ve yet to see any prototypes of the new X7 wearing production-spec taillights, but these renders from Sugar Design show the big SUV with lights similar to the new iX3. Whether or not they look better than the taillights of the existing model is up for debate, but they’re certainly fitting of the Neue Klasse era. Camouflaged test vehicles hint that the split tailgate could carry over, although that detail has not been fully confirmed yet.

Interior Tech Takes Center Stage

Beyond the exterior design, the interior is expected to debut BMW’s Panoramic iDrive system as seen in the new i3 and iX3 EVs, which includes a full-width head-up display at the base of the windshield and a tablet-like infotainment display.

As expected, the system leans heavily on touchscreen interaction and an upgraded voice assistant, with traditional physical controls likely scaled back further. The X7 itself will continue to offer three rows and seating for seven, staying true to its role as BMW’s biggest family hauler.

Timing And What Comes Next

Internally known as the G67, the second-generation X7 is expected to arrive in the latter half of 2027, with production potentially kicking off around summer or fall of that year.

Whether it remains BMW’s largest SUV is another question entirely. North American dealers have reportedly been pushing for an even bigger X9, aimed squarely at rivals like the Escalade and Navigator, which suggests the X7 may soon have to share the spotlight at the top.