BMW iX a 'trendsetter' but not a 7 Series replacement

The BMW iX will be a technology leader for the German prestige brand, but won’t usurp the 7 Series as the leading example of BMW’s vision for its product range.

That’s the message from the global head of Project iX, Johann Kistler, who during an online presentation of the 2021 BMW iX – which is slightly longer and narrower than the BMW X5, and launches in Australia late this year – was asked whether the all-new electric luxury SUV would displace the 7 Series sedan as BMW’s flagship model.

“I was responsible for the 7 Series in 2008, 2009, and of course the 7 Series is really important, and it’s of course the flagship for BMW,” Kistler answered.

“It should be and will be [the company flagship] in the future. I will say that the 7 Series will be more representative – a more expressive car. The luxury will be more important for us [with] 7 Series.

“With the iX ... it’s a trendsetter. It should be the trendsetter; it should be the trendsetter for modernity and for technology,” he said.

By implication, then, the ‘luxury’ BMW 7 Series limousine will be the flagship for traditional buyers, whereas the all-new BMW iX promises to wave the flag for early adopters, technophiles and the younger demographic.

“In my mind, both [are] possible,” Kistler concluded, leaving the way open for the iX and the 7 Series to share the ‘flagship’ mantle.

The 2021 BMX iX will launch in Australia in the final quarter of this year in two all-wheel drive twin-motor variants, the xDrive50 (385kW) and xDrive40 (240kW), while a high-performance 440kW-plus M60 version is also confirmed for release next year – the first BMW M SUV ever built.

In terms of sheer power, that puts the iX M60 close to the range-topping BMW 760Li and its 448kW 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12 – an engine that’s expected to live on for at least another couple of years.

The BMW iX will also be the first model in Australia fitted with the car-maker’s new-generation operating system, iDrive 8.