BMW delivered a record 388,897 vehicles in the United States last year, up 4.7 percent from the previous year and marking its third straight record year. Despite that success, the automaker says it is considering adding a new flagship model to its lineup.
In a company-wide update issued this week, BMW said it is “considering” a new model that would sit above the X7 in its SUV range, or Sports Activity Vehicle lineup in BMW terminology.
BMW offered few details, saying only that the vehicle would be “closely tailored to the needs of the US market.” That description could point to the long-rumored X8, a model discussed for nearly a decade but never brought to production.
Audi launched the long-awaited Q9 earlier this year as a rival to the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS. BMW could now be preparing a model positioned beyond both the X7 and possibly the Q9, although its announcement does not explicitly say the vehicle will be larger. The wording leaves room for several interpretations, including an X7 Coupe or a more luxurious, exclusive derivative similar to the Mercedes-Maybach GLS.
BMW says strong demand for its current SUVs is driving the study. Plant Spartanburg in North Carolina is already running at full capacity, prompting the company to explore ways to increase production worldwide.
A New Alpina and a New EV for Europe
The potential flagship SUV is not BMW’s only upcoming project. The company also announced a streamlined portfolio strategy for China that includes features requested by local customers. BMW aims for 95 percent of the vehicles it sells in China to be built locally by 2030.
The first entirely new Alpina model since BMW acquired the brand is scheduled to arrive in the coming year. BMW has disclosed few specifics, but says it will be based on the 7-Series and positioned between standard BMW models and Rolls-Royce vehicles.
Europe will also receive a completely new EV in 2028. Competing in the high-volume entry segment, it will become the latest BMW model built around the Neue Klasse family and will share many of its technologies. BMW additionally confirmed that the 2-Series Active Tourer will be discontinued without a replacement.
BMW is considering a new US-focused flagship SUV positioned above the X7 as it responds to strong demand and capacity constraints at its Spartanburg plant. The company is also preparing a new Alpina model based on the 7-Series, targeting 95 percent local production in China by 2030, and planning a high-volume Neue Klasse EV for Europe in 2028.
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