BMW is officially examining a new premium SAV positioned above the X7, with the U.S. market playing a central role in the potential project. The BMW Group said in a press release that it is considering an additional model above its current flagship, while BMWBLOG reports that the project carries the rumored internal codename G63 and could eventually be marketed as the BMW X9.
BMW Considers a Model Above the X7
BMW has not approved the new SAV for production or finalized its name. However, the company confirmed that it is examining an additional model above the X7 specifically with U.S. buyers in mind.
The proposal follows months of reports about demand for a larger BMW SUV. In January, BMW dealers were reported to have asked for a bigger SUV. In March, BMW brand boss Bernd Körber said BMW could build a vehicle for the segment, while noting that demand is concentrated overwhelmingly in the United States and the Middle East.
Today marks the first time the BMW Group has formally put the idea of an additional model above the X7 in writing.
BMW Spartanburg Plant Is Already at Full Capacity
The potential new flagship comes as BMW faces strong demand for its premium SAV lineup. According to the company’s strategy update, Plant Spartanburg, known as the “home of X,” is currently operating at full capacity.
The South Carolina plant produces the X5, X6, X7 and XM, and its workload is expected to increase with the next-generation G67 X7 due in 2027.
BMW CEO Milan Nedeljković said the company’s answer is regionalization, which involves producing more X models at different locations around the world so individual sales regions can receive vehicles more directly.
BMW has not said which plants could take on additional SAV production or which models could move. A U.S.-focused flagship could potentially be produced in the United States, but that is an interpretation rather than something BMW has confirmed.
What We Know About the BMW G63 Project
The rumored G63 project remains in an early stage, and details could change before any potential launch. Current information points to several possible characteristics:
- Codename: G63, according to BMWBLOG’s information.
- Timing: A potential launch in the 2029-2030 timeframe, two to three years into the life of the G67 X7.
- Engines: Mostly six-cylinder petrol and V8 petrol models, with a diesel possible for Europe.
- Interior packaging: A third row with more space than the upcoming G67 X7.
- Price: Likely tens of thousands of dollars above the X7.
The possibility of a diesel model could indicate that BMW is considering markets beyond the United States. A diesel flagship SUV would not be aimed primarily at U.S. buyers, while offering the vehicle in other markets could help broaden the business case for the project.
A fully electric version is not expected at launch based on current information. Nothing reported so far points to one.
BMW X9 Would Target the Escalade and Navigator
The potential BMW flagship would enter a segment dominated by larger luxury SUVs. The current X7 measures 203.6 inches (5,181 mm) long, while the standard Cadillac Escalade measures 211.9 inches. The Escalade ESV stretches to 226.9 inches, and a long-wheelbase Range Rover is about 207 inches long.
Cadillac sold 57,000 Escalades last year, while Lincoln sold nearly 25,000 Navigators. BMW currently does not offer a vehicle that matches those models for overall space, particularly in the third row.
BMW has not provided dimensions for the G63. However, the reported goal is a more usable third row combined with meaningful luggage space behind it, addressing an area where the X7 has fallen short compared with the Escalade.
Could BMW Name It the X9?
BMW has not announced a name for the potential new SAV. The X9 is being discussed as the possible marketing name, following BMW’s existing naming logic in which a higher number denotes a larger and more expensive vehicle.
The potential timing could also place the G63 alongside the next-generation X7. BMW’s G74 Rugged SUV, which was reportedly intended to compete with the G-Class and Range Rover, reportedly will not happen. If that remains the case, engineering resources associated with that project could potentially be redirected toward a larger flagship SAV.
A G63 arriving around 2029-2030 would give the G67 X7 a larger sibling and potentially provide BMW with a new entrant in the U.S. full-size luxury SUV segment.
