BMW is considering a new SAV above the X7, tailored to the U.S. market.
Plant Spartanburg, BMW’s “home of X,” is operating at full capacity.
BMW wants more regional SAV production to expand global output of these models.
The BMW Group is considering a new Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) positioned above the X7, its current top-end SUV, aimed specifically at the U.S. market. The automaker disclosed the plan at its Capital Market Day in Munich.
BMW says the new offering would be “closely tailored to the needs of the US market.” No name or launch timing was announced.
Spartanburg Is Running at Full Capacity
BMW says SAV demand is high enough that Plant Spartanburg in South Carolina, which the company calls the “home of X,” is operating at full capacity. The plant builds the X7 models sold in Canada.
The capacity squeeze explains the second half of the plan: BMW wants greater regionalisation of SAV production, which it says would expand global output and serve every sales region more directly.
All-New 2027 BMW X5 Priced from $95,500; All-Electric iX5 to Follow
The 2027 X5 Already Offers a 570-hp Electric Version
BMW did not name a powertrain for the new model, but the release sets the criteria: BMW will reshape its drivetrain portfolio around the models that deliver the highest long-term contribution margins in each market, and it calls technology openness a cornerstone of its strategy.
Its most recent SAV launch shows how wide that menu already runs. The 2027 X5, revealed at Spartanburg in June, offers mild-hybrid gasoline and diesel engines, a plug-in hybrid and the all-electric iX5, depending on market. The iX5 is also the first electric vehicle built at Spartanburg.
- X5 50e xDrive: plug-in hybrid, 483 hp and 516 lb-ft
- iX5 60 xDrive: dual motors, 570 hp and 593 lb-ft, 144 kWh usable battery, 10 to 80% DC charge in 22 minutes, estimated range of up to 700 km
A recent report indicates the next-generation X7, due from Spartanburg in 2027, adds the nameplate’s first electric version.
Audi’s New Q9 Is 129 mm Longer Than the X7
The X7’s newest rival is also bigger. The all-new 2027 Audi Q9, on Canadian configurators since August, measures 5,310 mm long on a 3,140 mm wheelbase, against 5,181 mm and 3,105 mm for the current X7. It launched with twin-turbo gasoline engines only:
- Q9: 2.9-litre V6, 429 hp and 442 lb-ft, 0 to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds
- SQ9: 4.0-litre V8, 591 hp and 590 lb-ft, 0 to 100 km/h in 4.0 seconds
On length alone, Audi’s flagship already sits above BMW’s current top-end SAV, and it has no electric version.
One of Two New Models in BMW’s Margin Recovery Plan
The above-X7 SAV is one of two new models BMW highlighted, alongside a compact, fully electric Neue Klasse model for Europe’s entry segment in 2028.
BMW targets an 8 to 10% EBIT margin in its Automotive Segment by the start of the next decade. Chairman Milan Nedeljković said BMW has “defined initial measures to reposition ourselves and will implement them with strong momentum.”
