SPARTANBURG, South Carolina — The BMW X family is growing with the addition of
the new BMW X7 SUV, which will be built in the U.S. for world markets, the automaker said on Friday.
The BMW X7 targets the
Audi Q7,
Infiniti QX80 and
Mercedes-Benz GL-Class.
Pricing and launch timing were not announced. The BMW X7 is expected to be priced over $50,000.
"In addition to the (BMW) X3, X5, X6 and the new X4, we are today announcing another all-new, larger X model to be manufactured exclusively at this plant for our world markets: the X7," Dr. Norbert Reithofer, chairman of the board of management for BMW Group, said in a statement.
The company also kicked off the start of production of the
2015 BMW X4 on Friday and said in the "near future, a plug-in hybrid version of the BMW X5 will also be produced here."
The BMW X4 makes its world debut in April at the
2014 New York Auto Show. It starts at $45,625, including a $925 destination charge and targets the 2014 Audi Q5, Land Rover Range Rover Evoque and 2015 Volvo XC60.
BMW said it will invest $1 billion in the South Carolina plant and expand the plant's annual production capacity by 50 percent up to 450,000 vehicles by the end of 2016. The investment adds 800 jobs.
Edmunds says: BMW is set to launch its largest SUV ever with the X7. Consumers should expect a three-row, large luxury SUV that can seat up to seven passengers, but may have to wait until 2016 to get their hands on the X7.