BMW is one step closer to finally bringing a large SUV to market with its Concept X7 iPerformance. The concept teases the production X7 that BMW will launch in 2018 with an on-sale date in the U.S. in early 2019. Here's what people are saying about the Concept X7.
"The first impression that comes from this vehicle is overwhelming size. The traditional BMW 'kidney' grilles take up a sizable portion of the front bumper, and it's only further exaggerated thanks to those headlights, which are as thin as possible. A long, single strip of chrome runs the whole width of the rear end, and tall vertical elements on both bumpers give it a real sense of height."
-- Andrew Krok, Roadshow by CNET
"BMW threw every popular design feature available at this SUV then cranked the volume up to 11, resulting in a frustrating mishmash of features for the Frankfurt motor show debut.
"Let's go down the list: razor thin headlights? Check. Oversized grille? Double check. Panoramic sunroof, chrome trim pieces and exaggerated accent creases? Check, check and check.
"First and foremost among BMW's self-inflicted wounds is the front fascia. By stretching the brand's signature double kidney grille vertically down the entirety of the tall, flat front end, the X7 takes on a look that's a little too similar to the Bavarian brand's other luxury nameplate: Rolls-Royce. However, other comparisons have been much less kind, including some comparing it to a buck-toothed beaver or Bugs Bunny.
"It doesn't help that the LED-flecked headlights are so narrow that they take on a squinty, rodent-like appearance of their own."
-- Kyle Campbell, New York Daily News
"But the Concept X7 iPerformance is egregiously ugly. It's like somebody took the previous-generation Lincoln Navigator, pinched it in a few places to make it a little extra insectile and packed it up with a press release about sporty dynamism re-imagined through hybrid-electric power.
"A BMW X7 is coming, and it will probably end up looking a lot less aggressively overwrought by the time it hits showrooms. At least, I sure hope so."
-- Andrew P. Collins, Jalopnik
"In profile, the Concept X7 features a blunt nose and muscular sculpting. There's also lots of chrome. A prominent piece of it outlines the fender gill and runs down the side sill. There's more of the shiny stuff around the windows.
"The rear is also quite upright. LED taillights stretch across the entire tailgate, and there are L-shaped outlets behind the fenders.
"The Concept X7 also features a cool roof. Glass dominates the top, and there's a black Y-shaped divider for an extra visual flourish. The design means that there's lots of natural light in the cabin."
-- Chris Bruce, Motor1.com
"When looking at the X7's exterior, many words come to mind, most of which start with the letter B: big, bold, boxy, brown, bucktoothed. Unlike many large SUVs, however, the word 'brawny' does not apply. Instead, the Concept X7 is glitzy, wearing chrome where others have cladding, its round wheel arches free of flares, and its considerable ground clearance serving to elevate its profile rather than to enhance its off-road proclivities. There's certainly no skid plate and nary a whiff of a front bumper. The max-glam X7 pushes the boundaries of fashion with its 23-inch wheels."
--Steve Siler, Car and Driver
"Outside, the X7 gets a more upright nose with a big 90-degree hockey stick character line running down the side. It cribs some 8-Series Concept design that we just saw at Pebble Beach a few weeks ago. The nose looks pinched with narrow headlights while the squared-off air intakes border the bumper edges. The matte and glossy kidney grille was made to look as if it's made from one piece of metal.
"In back, vertical aero bits frame the sides and the taillights stretch end to end. Otherwise, the rear is cleaner than expected, and it looks much more square than today's X5 and X3."
-- Jake Lingeman, Autoweek
