Although it sometimes feels like an eon ago, SUVs – particularly large ones – were quite popular just a few years back. However, times – and particularly gas prices – have drastically changed over the last couple of years and drivers the world over have fallen out of love with big, thirsty four-by-fours. Thanks to that shift in consumer demand, BMW has officially cancelled its X7 SUV plans.
As the name implies, the X7 was slated to slot above BMW’s X5 as the marque’s range-topping SUV. Designed as a super luxury SUV, the X7 would have gone head-to-head with Land Rover’s Range Rover SUV. However, rising fuel prices and weakening economic conditions – both in the U.S. and Europe — have forced BMW to cancel its Range Rover-rivaling SUV plans, according to Automotive News.
But don’t count BMW out of the SUV business just yet. Instead of going after the upper echelon of the SUV market, BMW is turning its focus to smaller, more efficient offerings. The BMW X1 – which will debut at October’s Paris Motor Show — has been given the green light for production and the German automaker is even reportedly working on a sporty two-door version of the X1, dubbed the X2. With BMW’s emphasis on producing ultimate driving machines, we think BMW’s new SUV direction is a s
08/04, 3:53 PM
posted by:
howsmydriving
Sadly, this is not the final word in the darkest chapter of automotive history: the SUV era.
08/04, 4:08 PM
posted by:
tripleonefive
BMW makes that X6 **** but cancels the SUV that can actual move people around? Cancel the x6 its useless and make the X7 in limited numbers
08/04, 4:15 PM
posted by:
TOZO
Ah yeah I remember the X7 plans. A dumb idea to begin with, even during the SUV era. They JUST decided to cancel it? Well now i am remembering other things: V3, V5, V7. They had that whole stupid van plan too. All horrible plans. BMW is best staying with the small. Still, I’m sure someone is proposing plans for an X8 or X9 in the BMW board room as I type anyway.
08/04, 4:23 PM
posted by:
xyunya
TOZO, I would give BMW credit for not screwing up with corporate image and value. I can’t name a single product form BMW that was not commercial success. And not because the label is in vogue, this dis not help M-B R class. Actually, I prove myself wrong, BMW owned Range Rover for a short period of time, saw error of its way and passed baton to Ford in record time and minimum losses; retained Morris and parlayed Mini into success.
08/04, 4:24 PM
posted by:
shaver
were quite popular just a few years back. WTF SUV were selling great just 12 months ago. Russians and Canadians still have not gotten the message.
08/04, 4:30 PM
posted by:
jumpoffit
just what the world needed, ANOTHER suv
08/04, 4:39 PM
posted by:
ktulu
2 bad
08/04, 4:55 PM
posted by:
RaineMan
Why can’t they cancel the X6 while they are at it. What a total waste of a vehicle. When you combine a sports coupe, a family sedan, and a 4×4 off-roading machine you get some godawful abombination that doesn’t succeed at anything besides being expensive.
08/04, 5:05 PM
posted by:
DeansterTJ
Not ENTIRELY useless. Some people have large families, like say Hasidic Jews and Muslims, and need people haulers.
08/04, 5:06 PM
posted by:
DeansterTJ
^ Wait a minute, I just realized that most Hasids don’t buy German
08/04, 5:12 PM
posted by:
xyunya
and Muslims do, but prefer Tiger IV and Leopard to SUV
08/04, 5:24 PM
posted by:
The Stig
Smart play.
08/04, 6:07 PM
posted by:
Captain Crunch
Who care…..no loss at all.
08/04, 6:21 PM
posted by:
brassmonkey
Wait! What was BMW going to nickname this? SAV? PAV? We need to know! How many ways can Bangle name something?
08/04, 6:26 PM
posted by:
Spingood Tanoya
Deanster, in post 9 you misspelled “Catholics and Mormons”.
08/04, 7:17 PM
posted by:
Badass Z51
^^ Spingood Tanoya
No. I double checked, Deanster spelled everything right. He could have said jews/arabs but….. whatever they’re the same thing.
08/04, 9:11 PM
posted by:
mazdaman
I think it’s a smart move to cancel the X7. I think the company has more urgent priorities than to attempt to launch a large crossover in a fuel economy conscious market. I also agree with Raineman about cancelling the X6; it was a foolish waste of time and resources. I do think the 5-door X1 is a good idea; small premium products are going to become increasingly more important and essential in the market. I do question the validity of developing a sporty 3-door X2 variant, however; this variant seems to be about as foolish, wasteful, and ridiculous as the X6. This tendency of BMW’s to constantly attempt to create new vehicle niche segments makes them look a little foolish, especially in light of current economic conditions. Development money and resources need to be focused on solid segments that will yield a profitable return.
08/05, 8:06 AM
posted by:
SickofGarbageMotors
Saw an X6 over the weekend, in person it looks pretty badass.
08/05, 4:05 PM
posted by:
inline6
Isn’t this the second time they’ve canceled plans for the X7? Weren’t there plans about 10 years ago to build one, after the original X5 debuted?
And before I forget, thank God they’re killing the X7! They’re talking about an X1, an X2 “coupe”, they have the X3, X5, and that uglified 4-door ‘81 AMC Eagle SX/4 they call an X6. BMW product planners must be intensely bored.