2028 BMW iX7 (G67) Laps The Nürburgring With Split Headlights And A New Taillight Signature
by Horatiu Boeriu · BMWBLOGArticle Summary
- Series production of the second-generation X7 at Plant Spartanburg reportedly starts in September 2027, pointing to a summer reveal.
- The iX7 could borrow the iX5 60 xDrive’s 141-kWh battery and 425-kW (570-hp) setup, since both ride on BMW’s CLAR platform.
- The combustion X7 gets inline-six and V8 engines but no plug-in hybrid, and a two-row ALPINA version (G69) could follow in 2028.
A prototype of the 2028 BMW iX7 has been photographed testing at the Nürburgring. The test car runs with no exhaust tips, keeps the split headlights of the current X7, and wears a new taillight signature made of thin, stacked LED strips. The iX7 is the electric version of the second-generation X7 (G67), which replaces the G07. The combustion models are expected to get gasoline and diesel inline-sixes plus a twin-turbo V8 for the M Performance model, with no plug-in hybrid. BMW has said little about the electric model, so prototypes are our best look, and this one surfaced a day after our iX7 sighting in Italy.
What The Camouflage Reveals About The iX7’s Design
Up front, the slim daytime running lights sit at the top corners and the main headlights sit lower, in separate housings, the same split layout BMW uses on the facelifted 7 Series. The kidney grille is still large, so anyone hoping the Neue Klasse influence would shrink it will be disappointed. Its upper section has horizontal slats, while the lower half sits behind mesh panels. On an electric BMW, that could mean a mostly closed-off grille with a strip of active flaps, but the camouflage doesn’t let us say for sure.
The rear tells us more. There are no tailpipes, and the taillights now have a defined shape: two stacked LED bars on each side of the tailgate, plus smaller segments at the outer corners, with a gap left in the middle. In July, we said the production lights should be wider and split at the center to make room for the roundel, and this layout fits that. BMW could still change these units before launch, and the round red reflectors on the bumper look like test-car add-ons.
The rear wiper sits on the glass instead of hiding under the roof spoiler, a hint that the upright tail of the G07 stays. The body keeps the tall, boxy proportions of a three-row SUV, riding on dark multi-spoke wheels. Earlier prototypes showed the winglet-style door handles from the new X5, but the wrap here covers the doors too thoroughly to pick them out.
Will The iX7 Borrow The iX5’s Massive Battery?
BMW hasn’t released any technical details for the iX7. Our February report pointed to the electric X7 staying on the CLAR platform of its combustion siblings, making the iX5, which also uses CLAR rather than Neue Klasse hardware, the likeliest donor.
The iX5 60 xDrive pairs a 141-kWh net battery (144 kWh in US specification) with sixth-generation eDrive technology, an 800-volt system, and 425 kW (570 hp). BMW quotes up to 845 km (525 miles) on the WLTP cycle. The X7 is bigger and heavier, so it could lose some of that range, but the current G07 already has a 3,105 mm (122.2-inch) wheelbase, and earlier prototypes suggest the new one is longer, so there should be room for a pack at least as large. As we reported in July, the iX7 could also follow the iX5 with a quicker M Performance variant above the standard model. The iX7 M70 is expected to deliver around 840-850 horsepower using a dual-motor electric setup.
When Will BMW Reveal The Electric X7?
BMW has confirmed the second-generation X7 for 2027, with production at Plant Spartanburg in South Carolina. Series production reportedly starts in September 2027, which points to a reveal in the summer. We don’t know yet whether the iX7 launches alongside the combustion models or follows later.
Inside, expect a cabin modeled on the 7 Series, with a 14.6-inch screen for the front passenger, the 31.3-inch Theater Screen for the rear seats, and the iDrive X interface with a Panoramic Vision display across the base of the windshield. The rotary controller is likely gone. The ALPINA version, reportedly codenamed G69, may drop the third row and could arrive in 2028.
BMW is late to the three-row electric luxury SUV class, where the Cadillac Escalade IQ and the Mercedes EQS SUV are already on sale. If the iX7 gets anything close to the iX5’s battery, it could arrive with the range to make up for lost time.
[Photos: SHProshots]
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