BMW enters large SUV market with X8

A renowned German automaker, BMW, may be late to the large Sport Utility Vehicle market; it has finally joined the league. It has announced that it will be introducing X8 for the 2018 market that will play in the large SUV segment.

It says the new BMW X7 will come to market in 2018 to sit above the X5 and expected to successfully compete against the high-sellers in this category such as the Mercedes-Benz GL.

It is a big, family-hauling SUV with three rows for seating seven people.

The automaker says the large premium SUV will be built upon the new car architecture and will share many of its components with other X models.

“The BMW X7 will come with some new features and a modern design, so we expect to see a larger than usual kidney grille, a massive front bumper with large air intakes and an elegant look from the side. Inside space and luxury will also be one of the main design points,” the firm says.

Under the hood, the BMW X7 is expected to use the X6 engines, from a 3.0 litre six-cylinder power plant to the 4.4 V8 with 555 horsepower.

Early projections put the sales of the BMW X7 between 40,000 and 50,000 units a year with the main markets being China, the United States and Russia.

Nigeria is also a strong market for the BMW models in Africa; next to South Africa on the continent. And this product should do well in the country.

An online auto journal, Car and Driver, writing on the platform, says, “As the BMW’s largest rear-wheel-drive platform but with available four-wheel drive, the X7 will have cutting-edge connectivity, driver-assistance, and infotainment systems.

“As to its off-road capabilities, this BMW is no Jeep, but that’s okay since its customers probably think of parking lots when they hear ‘off-road.’”

The high-end SUV will be built on the CLAR platform, which uses a mixture of high-strength steel, aluminum and carbon fiber, increasing structural rigidity while saving weight, says Car and Driver.

“Just like the next 5 Series — which is rumored to shed anywhere from 50 to 100 kg — the X7 is expected to keep its weight in check, despite its large dimensions,” the reviewer says.

Powertrain: BMW’s proven lineup of inline-six and V-8 petrol and diesel engines will channel their torque to the drive wheels through a ZF eight-speed automatic.

Looking at the competition, Car and Driver lists its rivals as Audi Q7, Cadillac Escalade, Infiniti QX80, Land Rover Range Rover Sport, Lincoln Navigator and Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class.