The Breakdown:
- BMW dealers want an SUV that’s bigger than the X7.
- It’d be an SUV that would compete with the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator.
- It could be a model that will launch under BMW’s new Alpina brand.
BMW dealers want something bigger than the X7 that could compete with other full-size SUVs. It's unclear if BMW will launch such a product for the American market to satisfy its dealers.
Kirk Cordill, chairman of the BMW National Dealer Forum, told Automotive News in a recent interview that he believes dealers could "do really well" with a big, three-row SUV in the United States. He wants something that BMW could “challenge [Cadillac] Escalade, [Lincoln] Navigator, or [Infiniti] QX80 with."
The X7 is a three-row SUV, but it’s significantly smaller than the Escalade, the best-selling model in its segment. The Escalade has nearly twice the cargo space behind the third row as the X7—12.8 cubic feet versus 25.5.
The Escalade is 8.3 inches longer, 2.4 inches wider, and 4.5 inches taller than the BMW. The Escalade ESV is nearly 24 inches longer than the X7.
Cordill also told the publication BMW could rely on its Alpina brand for a new, larger SUV, saying, "Alpina would be a natural extension of that class." BMW acquired Alpina in 2022, turning it into a standalone brand.
Motor1’s Take: There’s no doubt that full-size luxury SUVs are popular, with segment leaders seeing tremendous growth last year, so it’s no surprise BMW dealers want something similar to compete. The X7 already has three rows, but its smaller size diminishes its cargo capacity and competitiveness, and if BMW wants to truly take on Cadillac, it needs something bigger.
Source: Automotive News via BMW Blog
