BMW X7 4-seater version will challenge Bentley Bentayga

The large SUV is said to have 2 versions, a 7-seat regular version and a 4-seat super luxury version with the goal of directly competing with the Bentayga.

Spy shots of the X7 prototype on a test track show that the seven-seater will be based on the same architecture as the German automaker's flagship 7-series sedan. The car is mainly developed in the US and China, where SUVs and crossovers lead the auto industry's sales, according to Automotive News.

X7 is still in development. Photo: KGP.

The 7-seat X7 will compete with the Land Rover Range Rover and Mercedes GLS. Although developed at the same time as the Rolls-Royce SUV, the super-luxury brand owned by BMW, the X7 and the British super-luxury SUV do not share the same structure but only share some components such as rear-wheel drive and 4-wheel drive.

The X7's engines are similar to the 7-series: 6- and 8-cylinder, along with a hybrid version. A high-performance V12 version is also likely to be produced. According to reports, about 45,000 X7s will be produced annually at BMW's plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA.

BMW X7 as envisioned by TheophilusChin.

BMW said the four-seat version with higher-end equipment will cost more than $100,000 and will have a different design besides a more luxurious interior than the seven-seat version. The super luxury version will only account for about 1% of X7 sales, the company representative estimated.

The four-seat X7 will compete with special editions of the Range Rover and even the Bentley Bentayga, although it will not cost as much as $200,000 like its British rival. The BMW X7 is expected to go on sale in the US from early 2019.

According to VNE