- The latest-generation X5 has little in common with its predecessor.
- In contrast, the 7-Series sedan receives more restrained updates.
- BMW will debut the facelifted 7-Series at Auto China next month.
BMW is in the midst of a wide-ranging overhaul, reshaping its lineup around a cleaner, more restrained design language first seen on the second-generation iX3, while also rolling out the new i3 sedan revealed earlier today. The 7-Series facelift and the all-new X5 are next in line, and a batch of allegedly leaked images claims to show what’s coming. They look convincing, though in an era of increasingly convincing AI-generated visuals, it’s hard to say with complete confidence that they’re the real thing.
Read: Even A Facelift Cannot Hide The New BMW 7-Series’ Giant Grille
If they are genuine, the images appear to have been taken during a BMW presentation, the sort of setting where cameras are unwelcome, which might explain the awkward angles. Even so, the photos have been shared by several sources, including by Instagrammer asatur.price and users on Bimmerpost, all pointing to an early look at the redesigned models.
For what it’s worth, both line up closely with what BMW has already teased for the 7-Series facelift, as well as the camouflaged prototypes of the two models we’ve separately spotted out in the wild.
Photos asatur.price/Instagram
Starting with the 7-Series, the first image to surface was a low-resolution shot, later followed by a cleaned-up version shared by another Instagrammer and enhanced using Google’s Gemini, as evidenced by the logo in the bottom-right corner. The new luxury sedan is set to debut at Auto China in Beijing next month, though it will not follow the Neue Klasse design direction seen on many of BMW’s newer models.
The photo suggests the front grille is just as large as the current model, although it appears slightly wider and now features horizontal slats instead of vertical ones. BMW has also given it sharper, more aggressive split headlights, including narrow daytime running lights flanking the illuminated grille. The lower section of the bumper is new as well.
X5 Gets The Real Overhaul
Photos asatur.price/Instagram
We can then see the new X5 from both the front and rear. The next-gen model has been in the works for quite some time and has received the full Neue Klasse treatment.
Like the new iX3, it has angular headlights that gracefully flow to the small vertical kidney grilles. There’s then a large gloss-black lower section of the bumper, giving the SUV a rather menacing stance on the road. As you’d expect, the quarter panels and doors are also all-new, ensuring the new X5 feels up to date with modern design trends.
The rear is also radically different than the X5 we’re used to. It receives slim taillights with intricate, curvy LED signatures, rather than being a simple copy-paste of the iX3’s lights. The lower bumper also has a mix of black and body-colored elements. This version also appears to have quad exhaust pipes, suggesting it’s a higher-end performance model. Sadly, it seems as though the split tailgate of the current X5 is gone.
H/T to Alex J.!
