BMW has confirmed that the very first pre-production examples of its new X7 large SUV have begun to roll off the assembly line at the Group's Spartanburg plant in the USA.

This begins a countdown for the final twelve months – during which the pre-production vehicles will undergo various tests including some under extreme conditions – leading up to the official unveiling of the seven-seater production car at the end of 2018.

Knudt Flor, head of the BMW Group Spartanburg plant: “We are proud to produce the BMW X7 here in Spartanburg, the home of our X models. This is a very special vehicle and our employees are looking forward to yet a further member of the X family. Together with the BMW X7, a total of five BMW X models will be exported from Spartanburg to all four corners of the globe.”

The pre-production models will be handed over to development department specialists, who require them for homologation, registration as well as for diverse testing purposes such as endurance tests and test drives under extreme conditions in the desert regions of Death Valley or on the ice and snow covered slopes of Scandinavia.

The pre-production model is fitted with its camouflage wrap while still at the plant. The conspicuous striped patterns are designed to help conceal the new X7's final look as far as possible.