So you've been a performance car guy all your life. You meet Ms. Right, are fruitful and multiply---and now what?
Well, if your bank balance has been keeping up with the birth rate, the answer is the 2025 BMW X7 M60i xDrive, the M version of BMW's full-size X7 SUV.
Not that the regular X7 40i with its 375 horsepower six-cylinder is a slouch, but there is room for more under the Bimmer's big hood. So, for the M60i, in goes a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 with a 48-volt mild hybrid.
Horsepower leaps to 523. Zero to 60 times fall to 4.4 seconds. Fuel economy takes a four mpg hit to 18 combined (16 city/20 highway).
But the comparison that matters is not so much the X7 M60i against lesser-powered X7s as the X7 M60i against the Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 I reviewed in October.
On paper, it doesn't look like it should be much of a contest. The Benz is packing 603 horsepower and its 48-volt mild hybrid system bumps that to 624---a full 101 horsepower more than the BMW.
That horsepower gap would seem to justify the price gap---the 2025 GLS 63 has a starting price $38,600 higher than the X7 M60i. But power is as power does and the Benz is only 0.3 seconds quicker to 60 than the BMW (4.1 seconds instead of 4.4).
Mercedes does have a non-AMG GLS 580 much closer to the X7 M60i in price and power---the GLS 580, at $114,800 with 510 horsepower---but that's still $3,900 more than the BMW, and it needs 4.7 seconds to hit 60 from a standing start.
And besides that, the X7 M60i benefits from a bunch of performance parts that Mercedes can't match without moving you up to the AMG---the M Sport exhaust system, differential, and brakes---all of which make the X7 exhilirating to drive on mountain roads.
Cargo space? Well, that depends on how many people you have with you. There's not a lot of space, just 12.8 cubic feet, behind the third-row seat. Fold that flat and there's 47.6 cubic feet, and if you can fold both the second and third rows, you've got 90.4 cubic feet.
Passengers in the second row will be comfortable in thickly padded, power-adjustable seats with access to their own climate controls and USB ports along with 37.9 inches of legroom. The third row folks will be a bit less comfy---legroom back there is only 33.3 inches.
The base price of the 2025 BMW X7 M60i xDrive is $110,900 ($112,075 with destination). Standard equipment in addition to what we've already covered includes Merino leather upholstery, BMW Digital Key, active distance park control, a surround-view 3D monitor, remote engine start, 22-inch M dual-spoke bi-color wheels, an eight-speed automatic transmission, active steering, an illuminated grille, high-gloss roof rails, keyless entry, soft-close automatic doors, ambient lighting, parking assist, wireless device charging, an Alcantara headliner, dual-axle self-leveling suspension, power-folding heated side mirrors, a Harman Kardon surround audio system, LED headlamps, taillamps and daytime running lights, and a comprehensive suite of active safety features.
Our test vehicle had a pretty healthy chunk of extra-cost options, as well---more than $17,000 worth:
Oxford Green Metallic exterior paint: $5,500
Driving Assistance Professional (active cruise control with stop, active lane keeping assistant, active driving assistant pro, highway assistant, traffic jam assistant): $2,500
M Sport Professional Package: $300
Executive Package (front massaging seats, heated and cooled cupholers, panoramic sky lounge LED roof): $2,100
Climate Comfort Package (front and rear heated seats, front ventilated seats, five-zone automatic climate control): $1,600
Trailer hitch: $600
Carbon fiber trim: $300
Second-row captain's chairs: $850
Bowers & Wilkins Diamond surround audio system: $3,400
All of which adds up to an as-tested price of $129,225.
We're in an age where six figures for a luxury full-size SUV isn't at all unusual. The BMW X7 M60i has found a sweet spot between those that aren't true performance vehicles and those that are but charge a lot more.
