BMW’s big X7 takes shape

The 2019 BMW X7 is a very big deal for one of the world's most respected prestige German brands and now we've got our first look at the final design.

A super-luxurious, tech-leading, seven-seat SUV, BMW’s first X7 has already been seen in concept form and the production version will top the luxury brand's hugely successful 'X' range of SUVs in Australia in 2019.

The all-new, all-singing, all-dancing BMW X7 will be the most expensive SUV offered by the Bavarian brand. Think of it as the 7 Series of SUVs – a technology flagship with seven seats.

Teased on the factory floor at BMW's Spartanburg manufacturing plant in South Carolina, USA, the BMW X7's slimline headlights, front fascia and part of the iconic kidney grille are visible for the first time – without camouflage.

Despite the vehicle's gargantuan size, the design appears to be a blend of elegance and sportiness that could 'shrink' the SUV’s size when seen on the road. The new look is tipped to introduce a fresh new design language for BMW, which will permeate all future models.

Another photo of the side of the X7 shows a very short front overhang, which contributes an athletic aspect to the design. The very large alloy wheels, probably 22-inch, also help.

The design doesn't stray too far from the BMW X7 iPerformance concept first shown at the 2017 Frankfurt motor show in September.

The vehicles seen in the photos are pre-production models that will be wrapped in camouflage and pushed to their limits in the most extreme environments across the globe. Think frozen roads in Scandinavian and baking hot deserts of Death Valley in California.

It's not yet clear how much the new BMW X7 will cost but it will rival the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, whose pricing ranges between $118,000 and $220,000 for the beefed-up AMG model.

Powertrains are also unknown at this point but a range of hybrid, petrol and diesel engines are guaranteed, spanning four, six, and eight-cylinders.

It's not clear if BMW's go-fast M Division will fettle the big rig.

Production of the new BMX X7 will commence from late 2018 in the USA, where it will be built alongside the X3, X4, X5 and X6 SUVs at the Spartanburg factory, which can churn out up to 450,000 SUVs per year.

"This is a very special vehicle and our employees are looking forward to yet a further member of the X family," said Knudt Flor, head of the BMW Spartanburg plant.

"Together with the BMW X7, a total of five BMW X models will be exported from Spartanburg to all four corners of the globe."

One of those export markets includes Australia, where sales of BMW SUVs have outpaced those of its passenger cars.