We bring you an exclusive first look at the 2023 BMW X7 Facelift painted in Dravit Gray. The refreshed seven-seater luxury SUVs is now arriving at U.S. dealerships with first deliveries scheduled in the next few days. Additionally, we should see the first test drives of the BMW X6 M60i by the end of this month. In the mean time, Hendrick BMW in Charlotte brings forward the design details of the X7 LCI.
First BMW with Split Headlights
Rarely has BMW made such a drastic design change for a facelift model, so the BMW X7 LCI has certainly shocked some people. The BMW X7 Facelift gains a new split headlight design that’s entirely different from any other headlight design in the brand’s history. It’s a bold new design direction for a car that’s already polarizing. The headlights are now split into two halves, upper and a lower. The upper half features a modern, slimmer take on the signature dual-halo BMW headlight design, by offering two slim, upside down hockey stick LEDs. Out back, the BMW X7 Facelift’s taillights are nearly identical to the pre-LCI taillights, except they have a bit more depth and are darker in color.
The split headlights are only half the story as another major change took place inside. Just like most of the new BMW models, the 2023 BMW X7 gets the iDrive 8 infotainment system with a 14.9-inch touchscreen. It sits alongside the 12.3-inch driver’s display, and both are incorporated into a piece of curved glass that sticks out from the dashboard. Furthermore, the X7 Facelift features redesigned air vents and an illuminated ambient light bar. The classic gear level is also gone, replaced by a smaller switch like in the 3 Series Facelift.
Next on the list of updates is a new color palette. There are some really interesting color options, like Sparking Copper Metallic, Blue Ridge Mountain Metallic and Manhattan Metallic. Inside, there are several different excellent options to choose from, even if they’re all pretty standard for modern BMW luxury cars. One combo that stands out is the BMW Individual Ivory White/Atlas Grey Full Merino Leather.
BMW S68 and X7 M60i
Not only the BMW X7 Facelift brings a unique design, but it will also feature an M-built engine. This newest M Division engine, dubbed “S68”, will actually be used in more than just M cars moving forward. While it is still a proper M engine, it will also be used in several upcoming M Performance cars as well. On paper, the new S68 might not seem all that different from the old S63 that powers all current V8 M cars. Just like the old S63, the new S68 is another 4.4 liter twin-turbocharged V8 with a hot-vee design.
In the BMW X7 M60i, it makes 530 horsepower, which is only seven more horsepower than the standard N63 that powered the pre-LCI X7 M50i. Differentiating it even further is the 48-volt mild-hybrid system. The S68’s mild hybrid (MHEV) system is different than any other BMW MHEV system, though. Interestingly, the transmission is new as well. It’s still a ZF eight-speed unit but it’s all-new, design to handle the 48-volt mild hybrid system.
More Power in the BMW X7 xDrive40i
The BMW X7 Facelift featured here is the xDrive40i model. The B58-powered X7 xDrive40i makes 380 horsepower and 383 lb-ft (520 Nm) of torque, but it can be boosted to 398 lb-ft (540 Nm) of torque, with some temporary help from the hybrid motor. BMW claims a 0-60 time of 5.8 seconds. All BMW X7 models are paired with an eight-speed automatic and xDrive all-wheel drive
For 2023, the X7 kicks off at $77,850 for the xDrive40i and rises to $103,100 for the X7 M60i, before options.
[Photos by Hendrick BMW and instagram.com/krispycaptures]
