The 2023 BMW X7 receives one of the most significant mid-cycle updates in the recent memory of BMW models. Not only has the X7 gone through a major design refresh, but also received a suite of technical upgrades. One of them, and likely the most important one, is the addition of a brand-new V8 engine. Naturally, BMW had to come up with a new naming convention. Enter the BMW X7 M60i.
To sample the new X7 models – both the V8 M60i and six-cylinder 40i – we flew to its American home in South Carolina. The Spartanburg Plant is one of BMW’s most important factories in the world. It is the birth place of the X3, X4, X5, X6 and X7 models, and even of the upcoming XM. What do all these SUVs have in common? They are some of the most profitable products for the Bavarian brand. And of course, the U.S. market plays an important role in the adoption of their sports crossovers.
According to BMW, 47 percent of the BMW X7 models are sold to U.S. customers. China comes in second with 21 percent, surprisingly followed by South Korea with 7 percent. Germany? A mere 2 percent. BMW of North America only sells two models: the X7 xDrive40i and now the X7 M60i. Clearly, the B58-powered 40i takes majority of the global market share – 74 percent. The BMW X7 M60i – replacing the M50i – is expected to amount for 12 percent of the sales. European markets still get the BMW X7 xDrive40d – a 14 percent market share.
So while the X7 xDrive40i might be the market leader for X7 models, it’s the V8 that usually puts a smile on our face. Speaking of the face, let’s tackle head-on the design refresh. Despite having a larger kidney grille, the BMW X7 was always too close for comfort to the X5. Their front fascia wasn’t differentiated enough and always felt like the X7 is simply just a larger and more expensive X5.
