G65 X5 & Other Neue Klasse Prototypes Spotted in Spain

[Mani59]

     Featured on BIMMERPOST.com

A new BMW 7 Series is in the works. The current model isn't old by any means, having debuted in 2022 for the 2023 model year with a polarizing style. Whether that's the motivation behind this refresh is unknown. Suffice it to say, we don't often see automakers parading an updated model barely two years after a debut.

In any case, a convoy of camo-wrapped BMWs was caught testing in Spain, with a previously unseen 7 Series was among them. NCars on YouTube managed a close look, showing some clear changes on the sedan's nose. There's still a sizable grille, but it's not as large as before. It looks like designers could bring the flagship's grille more in line with the 5 Series, keeping it wide but cutting the length.

The fascia looks rounder, too. It's especially noticeable on the corners, where we see new headlights. What we don't see is a split-light design, but thin running lights could still exist beneath the camouflage. We can't suss out details, obviously, but the awkward proportions and contrasting angles that defined the 7's face appear to be at least partially addressed on this prototype. It's enough to make us cautiously optimistic for the future.

Accompanying the sedan in the video are numerous SUVs that clearly feature Neue Klasse design cues. These are likely the next X5 and iX3, hiding smooth body lines beneath the camo wrap. The future shape was previewed in March with the Neue Klasse X concept, though production models should tone down the concept's edges just a bit.

When will we see these prototypes revealed? The 7 Series camouflage likely won't come off until 2025 at the earliest, possibly for the 2026 model year. As for the SUVs, BMW already confirmed its first Neue Klasse vehicle will debut in the second half of 2025. It could be a sedan, but we suspect it will start with one of the SUVs seen here.

Source:
https://www.motor1.com/news/727475/b...ype-spied/amp/

[Chihuahua]

Very interesting. The camo'd 7 makes me wonder if this is the rumored Alpina version after BMWs purchase of Alpina.

[WifeBeforeCar]

Originally Posted by Chihuahua

Very interesting. The camo'd 7 makes me wonder if this is the rumored Alpina version after BMWs purchase of Alpina.

The rims do look like Alpina

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by WifeBeforeCar

The rims do look like Alpina

This is from last year. Fingers crossed.

https://www.motor1.com/news/691569/a...fted-7-series/

[moriluvatar]

I would love to see the return of a traditional grille on the 7!

[JJacksonIII]

Originally Posted by moriluvatar

I would love to see the return of a traditional grille on the 7!

On the 7, the X7, the iX, the i4, the M3, the M4... am I missing any others?

[moriluvatar]

Originally Posted by JJacksonIII

On the 7, the X7, the iX, the i4, the M3, the M4... am I missing any others?

Hahaha! You totally got me. Nice one mate. Yes to that!

[jdhiro]

Originally Posted by JJacksonIII

On the 7, the X7, the iX, the i4, the M3, the M4... am I missing any others?

I'd say M2 because I hate how the G87 grill is sunk in with no surround. It looks unfinished.

[Ibiza]

I’m so confused with what is and isn’t going to the NK platform.

[ledphut]

Split headlights need to be shit-canned once and for all. How they went from the elegance of the preLCI G12 to that current garish monster is incomprehensible.

[pegogetem]

It’s crazy that trolls and cry babies forced BMW to change the 7 series!

[Janek129]

As far as I remember Neue Klasse X I suppose to be used for electric cars only (starting with iX3), and now I see a new X5 looking exactly like one. Am I missing something in term of news across BMW world?

[Erebor]

Yep, that's an Alpina 7 series, not a LCI.

[TEGRITY]

Originally Posted by ledphut

Split headlights need to be shit-canned once and for all. How they went from the elegance of the preLCI G12 to that current garish monster is incomprehensible.

You are spot on, more than the huge grill it’s the split lights that makes it look quite bad on the 7 and X7. The 7 grill is way too much too!

[David Kunitz]

Originally Posted by ledphut

Split headlights need to be shit-canned once and for all. How they went from the elegance of the preLCI G12 to that current garish monster is incomprehensible.

Thoroughly agree with this!

[GOLFFRR]

I may have also seen a test mule here but not 100%. I'll have to keep my eye out. There is a location by my house that all the test mules stop and get coffee a few nights a week. there was a few new additions to the normal group that I saw 2 nights ago when I drove by.

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by Erebor

Yep, that's an Alpina 7 series, not a LCI.

My guess is it’s both. We’ll see.

[srgntBMW]

Originally Posted by pegogetem

It’s crazy that trolls and cry babies forced BMW to change the 7 series!

No, poor sales are what forced BMW to change it. The trolls and cry babies are saying what the would-be buyers are thinking, but BMW doesn’t care what the trolls say. BMW wouldn’t change the design this early if it were selling well, no matter what the trolls are saying.

[pegogetem]

Originally Posted by srgntBMW

No, poor sales are what forced BMW to change it. The trolls and cry babies are saying what the would-be buyers are thinking, but BMW doesn’t care what the trolls say. BMW wouldn’t change the design this early if it were selling well, no matter what the trolls are saying.

Here’s the facts, they don’t line up with your opinion. These are sales numbers for the 7 series!

2023: 8,433 units
2022: 5,974 units
2021: 7,705 units
2020: 5,985 units
2019: 8,823 units

[srgntBMW]

Originally Posted by pegogetem

Here’s the facts, they don’t line up with your opinion. These are sales numbers for the 7 series!

2023: 8,433 units
2022: 5,974 units
2021: 7,705 units
2020: 5,985 units
2019: 8,823 units

That’s not how BMW compares sales figures and your interpretation of those numbers is inaccurate.
Of course sales are expected to go up when you release a new model. And then sales generally decline every year as the model gets older. So you need to compare the first year of sales of the new model to the first year of sales of the outgoing model to actually compare how well it’s doing.
So we need to take the numbers back a couple more years …
2018: 8,271
2017: 9,276
2016: 12,918
Now we can see the actual comparison to do is 8,433 vs 12,918 for the first year of sales. That’s 35% decline.
So my “opinion” is actually a fact.
I hope that helps.

[pegogetem]

Originally Posted by srgntBMW

That’s not how BMW compares sales figures and your interpretation of those numbers is inaccurate.
Of course sales are expected to go up when you release a new model. And then sales generally decline every year as the model gets older. So you need to compare the first year of sales of the new model to the first year of sales of the outgoing model to actually compare how well it’s doing.
So taking the numbers back a couple more years …
2018: 8,271
2017: 9,276
2016: 12,918
So the actual comparison of 8,433 vs 12,918 for the first year of sales. That’s 50% decline. So my “opinion” is actually a fact.

If you move the goal post, you can make this true but but since 2020, there’s been an up trend.

[srgntBMW]

Originally Posted by pegogetem

If you move the goal post, you can make this true but but since 2020, there’s been an up trend.

That doesn’t even make sense. I literally just explained why you can’t just compare to a random year you think is relevant. I’m not “moving the goal post”. You chose an irrelevant goal post and I’m letting you know what the actual goal post is and helping you see the truth in the numbers.
But, your comments indicate you just want to be right, so sure, you’re right. It makes more sense that a bunch of executives in Germany are reading the blog posts of a bunch of basement trolls and using that to determine the business strategy of one of the largest automotive groups in the world. I bet that’s how they decide to spend millions and billions of R&D money instead of looking at sales figures and making a business case for the ROI. 🤷🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️