BMW prepares SUV larger than the X7 and a small Neue Klasse EV
BMW is expanding its range in two opposite directions at once. The manufacturer is planning a luxury SUV larger than the X7 for the US market, while a new compact, all-electric Neue Klasse model will arrive in Europe in 2028.
The X7 will get a larger sibling
BMW has not yet revealed the name or technical specifications of its new flagship model. All that is certain is that the car will sit above the X7 and that BMW is developing it primarily for the US market. There is therefore no basis for calling it the X8 at this stage, although that designation has already circulated in the media.
The current X7 is already a giant by European standards, so the new model marks a more decisive move by BMW into the territory of full-size American luxury SUVs. Models competing for buyers there include the Cadillac Escalade and Mercedes-Benz GLS.
In Europe, such a car will inevitably play a more marginal role. In the US, by contrast, a large body and a high price offer BMW an opportunity to increase profits in a segment where size is nothing to be ashamed of.
Europe will get a smaller electric BMW
Of greater importance for Europe is a new entry-level electric car planned for 2028. BMW confirms that the model will use Neue Klasse technology, but has not yet disclosed its name, dimensions, battery capacity or power output.
The lower end of BMW's electric range currently lacks a conventional compact model that would compete more directly with the Volkswagen ID.3 and other smaller electric cars in Europe.
Neue Klasse will give the new model BMW's latest electric architecture. This means a more efficient powertrain and faster charging than before, but it would be premature to assume that figures from larger Neue Klasse models will apply to this particular compact model.
BMW makes its model range more region-specific
The difference between the two new cars is no coincidence. BMW wants to tailor its model range more closely to individual markets. The US will get a large, high-margin SUV, Europe a compact electric car, while in China the manufacturer is increasing the proportion of models adapted to local needs.
This is a fairly clear response to the fragmentation of the global car market. A single model range can no longer simultaneously satisfy US luxury car buyers, European electric car customers and China's market, with its high demand for technology.
