#LAAutoShow: The All-new BMW X7 Has Arrived, Does It REPLACE The 7-Series SEDAN As The Flagship?

Wow, a face that only a mother can love. Also, 2nd/3rd rows seem a little tight - '001' how much room was back there?

7-series is fading fast along with others in the segment but the X7 seems so ungainly in the photos (and the 7-series is generally a good-looking vehicle) that I would postulate that the 7-series is still the flagship.

Is it me, or is the X7 quite awkward in person?

The X7 looks like it was styled by a group of teenagers who shopped for cheap stuff at 'fast fashion' stores like Forever 21 or H&M - just a bunch of blingy, low-quality baubles tacked on.

The X7 is a "Forever 21" not-quite luxury SUV, blingy but kind of in poor taste.

Unfortunately, this X7 appears to have bad timing, and styling wise, atleast from the profile will age prematurely, looking similar to the GLS shape currently profile wise.

Also, the interior does nothing to excite you but reminds you, you’ve seen it before in 7/5/x5 form...in a time when Benz is wowing the press with the new interior of the GLE not to mention the third row of the X7 looks to be as tight as the mid sized GLE which will give the GLS an early advantage.

This X7 as is would have been suitable 3 years ago when the facelifted GLE/GLS arrived, but as of right now...it will rely solely on the fact that it’s the largest Bimmer you could buy

Yes, awkward indeed. The overall exterior proportions just doesn't "feel" right. I'm still not convinced for the newest X5 as well. Past model versions had spot-on proportions.

I think the X7 has been a vehicle for the sake of financial convenience. Like it makes complete sense to have developed the X7 while also developing the Cullinan. That's a definite financial win. However, the finished production for the X7 doesn't look as "appealling". Maybe when we see it with more sporty M-sport exterior accessories, then it may look a bit more put-together as a large sporty BMW SAV.

I still have a problem with BMW styling their cars to look smaller than the competition. This car - as shown in the pictures - just does not offer that "premium" look - that even Volvo has managed to impart on its lineup. Still - the interior looks good - it has the requisite Dual Kidney Grille Set-up - and it is sold at the BMW dealership - so it will sell some. I note that they have the second row seats up close to the Front seats in the pictures to allow the gawkers to see the third row better - but it still appears to be lacking in real back seat room - a real problem in some markets where it will be Chauffeur driven.

Looks like the visually impaired stylists from Lexus have been moonlighting.

That interior color combination on the seats and the whore house stitching is almost as bad as the basketball orange color they loved for a while.

well if anybody would know the inside of a "whore house" I'm sure it's you Darringer. Obviously, you have to pay for what you can't get for free. Pity.

"whore house stitching"? That's new. The stitching is white. When did white stitching become "whore house stitching"? There's going to be a lot of vehicles with "whore house stitching", then.

This Buck Tooth Bimmer is hideous but I'm sure it will sell and cannibalize sales from the 7 -not that that would be a great loss as those units are paltry in the sales funnel. MB remains King in the styling department with much more compelling offerings.

The 7 series is on life support and has been since the day it was introduced, ugly, styleless and a really inferior quality interior. So, the question is, was the 7 ever really the flagship? I think not... The X7 is at least big enough to make a statement, what that statement is remains purely personal.
This X7 exterior style is on par with a stretched previous generation X5 with a few BMW prototype styling embellishments added...A Mixed bag production unit, unlikely to unseat anything more than BMW's lackluster 7 series sales.. I seriously doubt that any would be BMW competitors are losing sleep at night worrying about how they are going to fend off the sales bonanza created by this new X7...

It would have been smarter (perhaps) to give the X5 a 7 seat version and make the X7 be the top dog with 4 captains chairs and a fancy console running front to back like the top end Range Rover. 3rd rows are only useful for those 10 and under. I don't really see anyone currently dealing with juice boxes, Cheerios and pets buying this model.

HUGE presence on the road and extremely stylish on the inside.... this one will sell like hot cakes

From a sales standpoint, it will absolutely overtake the 7-Series, by sheer virtue of the fact that is an SUV and the 7-Series is a sedan.

From a more general conceptual standpoint, I have a hard time seeing or accepting this as the BMW flagship, and not the 7-Series.

The flagships of all the major luxury auto players have always been sedans, and for that reason it's hard for me to visualize anything else as the top of the range. That's still where BMW (and others) puts its latest technology and highest expression of luxury.

Any luxury SUV in this day and age feels like a cash grab to me, since SUVs are not inherently luxury vehicles, and their origins are utilitarian in nature. You can put as much wood, chrome, and leather on an SUV, but at any tier, the sedan will (almost without fail) always be more luxurious and comfortable than the corresponding SUV at the same level.

Plus, this thing starts $10,000 less than the 7-Series, so on cost alone it's hard to argue that it's the flagship.

This will definitely be a strong seller for the brand, definitely overtaking the 7 sedan. It will sell along the same numbers the GLS has been selling, between 1500 - 2500 units per month. Knowing that this is essentially a stretched X5, I'm not sure that it will be PERCEIVED as the flagship for the brand.

The rear is bland, and the front has the biggggest nostril... or is it mouth?

I wish the X5 got similiar taillights, it's look like Jeep parts.

Does anyone here remember when mini vans were the craze? Do you think the same thing is happening with SUV's? The difference is companies are dropping sedans and focusing on SUV/CUV's. Not every company was interested in building minivans, but the ones who did made profits.

I remember a few years ago car reviewers were saying its going to be the end of the V8 sedans, especially with manual transmissions. Look at us today, electric cars, manuals are rare, and suv's are flooding the markets. What happens to us enthusiasts?

By not using a near vertical rear hatch, BMW sacrificed some 3rd row headroom. Most families will use the 3rd for kids under 14. I read BMW was creating a "Black Label" with enhanced luxury: more wood, leather, 2nd row captains chairs with center console and no 3rd row, etc. BMW should have come out with this first, guns blazing. A battleship, not a big destroyer.