[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by BMW5and7

No, are you serious? If you get the Alcantara, would they be covered in Alcantara + stitching?

My sun visors are covered in thick, luxurious alcantara

[Al Pinã]

Originally Posted by wtwo3

I will say however, that Mercedes does offer the Maybach GLS. So perhaps BMW may one day develop a competitor to that? Not sure if the XM qualifies...

They do, it's called the Alpina XB7.

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by Al Pinã

They do, it's called the Alpina XB7.

I’ve never considered the XB7 a competitor to the Maybach. But I may be wrong.

[Brigitte]

Originally Posted by meccha

I can't say about the alcantara option since I didn't order it. I hope it would otherwise it would be awkward looking. The headliner feels cheap too; it's coarse feeling, compare to my crv.
I guess the good part about the visors is easier to keep clean. (No make up stains)

This is ridiculous for a very expensive car!!

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by meccha

I can't say about the alcantara option since I didn't order it. I hope it would otherwise it would be awkward looking. The headliner feels cheap too; it's coarse feeling, compare to my crv.
I guess the good part about the visors is easier to keep clean. (No make up stains)

The alcantara headliner includes nice thick sun visors also in alcantara

[Al Pinã]

Originally Posted by wtwo3

I’ve never considered the XB7 a competitor to the Maybach. But I may be wrong.

Unfortunately we get the neutered version of the Alpina here in the US. In Europe you can order the Lavalina leather, which is the same quality that Rolls Royce uses. They will also let you customize the spec to whatever your heart desires as far as paint and trims.

My brother in law happens to own a popular record label. He bought himself a fully loaded Maybach GLS last year. He was recently back in town for a family birthday and saw that I had gotten the XB7. After seeing it in person he went back and traded in his Maybach for the Alpina. So I guess that says they are in the same league.

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by Al Pinã

Unfortunately we get the neutered version of the Alpina here in the US. In Europe you can order the Lavalina leather, which is the same quality that Rolls Royce uses. They will also let you customize the spec to whatever your heart desires as far as paint and trims.

My brother in law happens to own a popular record label. He bought himself a fully loaded Maybach GLS last year. He was recently back in town for a family birthday and saw that I had gotten the XB7. After seeing it in person he went back and traded in his Maybach for the Alpina. So I guess that says they are in the same league.

Yeah I didn’t mean that one is superior to the other, more that I always thought of the Alpina as a performance oriented option. Lavalina leather would be amazing though

[MancladLA]

Originally Posted by wtwo3

Yeah I didn’t mean that one is superior to the other, more that I always thought of the Alpina as a performance oriented option. Lavalina leather would be amazing though

Yes - would the Alpina not be closer in targeting to a AMG GLS?

Performance focus vs luxury focus?

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by MancladLA

Yes - would the Alpina not be closer in targeting to a AMG GLS?

Performance focus vs luxury focus?

That’s my thought as well. It compares more with the GLS 63 than with the Maybach IMO.

[Al Pinã]

This is a fair assessment. The only other thing to mention is that the Alpina has a Comfort Plus suspension setting that makes the ride even more supple. Combined with the 21" wheels instead of the 23"s you'd have a suspension setup to rival the Maybach.

And finally, I think the rarity of the Alpina adds to its appeal to some. I live in the West Loop of Chicago and the only other XB7 I've seen was from the local dealership that they were doing test drives in. At the same time I've seen several Maybach trucks around the city.

[MystroX5]

Originally Posted by wtwo3

The alcantara headliner includes nice thick sun visors also in alcantara

And also alcantara sun shade and 3rd row privacy shelf. I got all that in mine as well as every major and minor option BMW ever offered in the X7 since it’s introduction. I absolutely love it even more after one extended cross country road trip and look forward to the next one this winter. It was perfection in every sense and I arrived happy and no body pain.
I have no idea how many other major and minor amenities BMW is leaving out these days??? 2020 my was the goat for the X7 so far. I was told model year 2025 should have all the options returned but who knows if BMW will keep the interior fully opulent? I will down size to a Cayenne Turbo S probably for my next replacement but am watching the news for the new larger Porsche flagship SUV. There is no Cullinan dealer network in my part of the state to even entertain that idea. Range Rover was a nightmare for me to ever consider another one.

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by MystroX5

And also alcantara sun shade and 3rd row privacy shelf. I got all that in mine as well as every major and minor option BMW ever offered in the X7 since it’s introduction. I absolutely love it even more after one extended cross country road trip and look forward to the next one this winter. It was perfection in every sense and I arrived happy and no body pain.
I have no idea how many other major and minor amenities BMW is leaving out these days??? 2020 my was the goat for the X7 so far. I was told model year 2025 should have all the options returned but who knows if BMW will keep the interior fully opulent? I will down size to a Cayenne Turbo S probably for my next replacement but am watching the news for the new larger Porsche flagship SUV. There is no Cullinan dealer network in my part of the state to even entertain that idea. Range Rover was a nightmare for me to ever consider another one.

2023 MY brought back quite a few options that went missing on 21 and 22 it seems. But yes I've got leather and alcantara on pretty much every surface I can possibly touch... hard to imagine another car in this class that touches it in luxury... certainly not the GLS. You really have to go a step higher (bentayga/cullinan etc) to get into a nicer interior.

The thing is, you can have a base model X7 with no options for $77k which comes without any leather or alcantara. But that shouldn't be your way of concluding that the X7 isn't the most luxurious vehicle in its class.

[PinkNinja400Guy]

Originally Posted by wtwo3

The thing is, you can have a base model X7 with no options for $77k which comes without any leather or alcantara. But that shouldn't be your way of concluding that the X7 isn't the most luxurious vehicle in its class.

It's not just the materials... that $77k base model X7 - or even a $100k base model X7 M50/M60 - will be missing many features that you would find on a high trim Honda Accord: heated rear seats, ventilated seats, ADAS, 360 view parking camera, sound system quality, ...

Even the top trim Honda Civic has heated rear seats and an effective ADAS system, which would be missing from that base X7. My Civic's sunvisors were padded in soft cloth and it had a pretty high quality cloth headliner.

There's a huge difference between the interior of that base X7 - which has cheap looking sensatec/senafin everywhere and a cloth headliner - vs a high spec X7, which is almost entirely covered in leather and alcantara. (And the ones which are missing some alcantara are missing it due to temporary & fluctuating supply chain issues, it's not a permanent decontenting by BMW.)

The people complaining about plastic sunvisors should have looked at the options list before ordering. That's just the way that all the German brands operate: if you don't build out your car to 20% over the base MSRP, you're going to end up with a car that has a nice powertrain & good NVH but is pretty much garbage in every other way. The GLS, S-Class, Audis aren't really any different in that regard.

[BMW5and7]

Originally Posted by PinkNinja400Guy

It's not just the materials... that $77k base model X7 - or even a $100k base model X7 M50/M60 - will be missing many features that you would find on a high trim Honda Accord: heated rear seats, ventilated seats, ADAS, 360 view parking camera, sound system quality, ...

Even the top trim Honda Civic has heated rear seats and an effective ADAS system, which would be missing from that base X7. My Civic's sunvisors were padded in soft cloth and it had a pretty high quality cloth headliner.

There's a huge difference between the interior of that base X7 - which has cheap looking sensatec/senafin everywhere and a cloth headliner - vs a high spec X7, which is almost entirely covered in leather and alcantara. (And the ones which are missing some alcantara are missing it due to temporary & fluctuating supply chain issues, it's not a permanent decontenting by BMW.)

The people complaining about plastic sunvisors should have looked at the options list before ordering. That's just the way that all the German brands operate: if you don't build out your car to 20% over the base MSRP, you're going to end up with a car that has a nice powertrain & good NVH but is pretty much garbage in every other way. The GLS, S-Class, Audis aren't really any different in that regard.

I agree!. When I ordered my X7, as a car guy, I've had hard time getting it up to my expectations until I selected almost every single option which pushed my MSRP to exactly $121,000

Each time I drive my X7, I can't think of any option that I'd let go even for a few grands.

[MystroX5]

Originally Posted by BMW5and7

I agree!. When I ordered my X7, as a car guy, I've had hard time getting it up to my expectations until I selected almost every single option which pushed my MSRP to exactly $121,000

Each time I drive my X7, I can't think of any option that I'd let go even for a few grands.

Absolutely. Once you become accustom to certain level of detail and quality of build materials you can never not have them or it will feel like a compromise. I was stunned when I got a G05 X5 base model as a loaner compared to the highly optioned X5 I had at the time. It didn’t drive or even feel like the same vehicle.
I would never have been interested in the X5 if the base model was representative of what the X5 was as a luxury SUV.

[Jrjones4]

Originally Posted by BMW5and7

No, are you serious? If you get the Alcantara, would they be covered in Alcantara + stitching?

In the m60i, the sun visors are identical to pre LCI models- wrapped in alcantara with stitching.

[Al Pinã]

Originally Posted by PinkNinja400Guy

It's not just the materials... that $77k base model X7 - or even a $100k base model X7 M50/M60 - will be missing many features that you would find on a high trim Honda Accord: heated rear seats, ventilated seats, ADAS, 360 view parking camera, sound system quality, ...

Even the top trim Honda Civic has heated rear seats and an effective ADAS system, which would be missing from that base X7. My Civic's sunvisors were padded in soft cloth and it had a pretty high quality cloth headliner.

There's a huge difference between the interior of that base X7 - which has cheap looking sensatec/senafin everywhere and a cloth headliner - vs a high spec X7, which is almost entirely covered in leather and alcantara. (And the ones which are missing some alcantara are missing it due to temporary & fluctuating supply chain issues, it's not a permanent decontenting by BMW.)

The people complaining about plastic sunvisors should have looked at the options list before ordering. That's just the way that all the German brands operate: if you don't build out your car to 20% over the base MSRP, you're going to end up with a car that has a nice powertrain & good NVH but is pretty much garbage in every other way. The GLS, S-Class, Audis aren't really any different in that regard.

I was with you all the way until the end when you said "garbage".

I've had the misfortune of riding in a few late model GM, Ford, Nissan products over the last few years that could easily be classified as garbage though.

Even the super stripper base model X3 rental I had in Cali last summer wouldn't fit that description if you asked most people.

[BMW5and7]

I also agree on the "garbage" note. I wouldn't call any X7 or GLS, even if it's the base model, a "garbage". I owned the majority of large size SUV brands that you can think of with an MSRP of 120K and below, starting from the Expedition, Escalade, GLS to the Lincoln Navigator, etc. I don't mind calling the Lincoln Navigator a garbage if the figure of merit is the drive comfort. Even a base model X7 drives and feels nicer than a nicely equipped Lincoln Navigator Reserve. The same is true for the interior and materials. In my current Lincoln Navigator with only 23K miles, the leather started to peel off, it has more squeaking noises than anything else I've seen, and the bumps on the road get's all the way through my brain. I am not sure about the new Escalade, but the 2014-2020sh model year didn't have the best materials or quality and I guarantee you a base model X7 looks nicer and drives better than any Yukon available on the market. I didn't own a Lexus LX before, but a few tests drives didn't feel promising (it was too slow/heavy and drove like a pickup). I feel I'd rather not share my experience with the Lexus GX --> "this one is a true garbage".

A base model X7 or GLS certainly lacks a ton of features and options, but I still believe the build quality, comfort level, and materials is superiors to many other rivals. At least I hardly ever hear and squeaking noises " I get sick if I hear any". When I was a 10-15 year old kid, I used to remove the entire dashboard and other trim pieces of my dad's vehicle (did this to 3 vehicles "Honda, Kia, and Mazda" that he had) to fill up all the gaps/void with foam or soft polyurethane!!! --> it worked!!!!!!!

[aas5]

Does anyone know the sales volumes for X7 vs RR? I assumed they would be similar. I see a ton more RRs than X7s in NYC and Long Island. I am actually starting to consider the new RR as a replacement for my 2020 X7 M50 (even though I am worried about reliability).

[Al Pinã]

Originally Posted by aas5

Does anyone know the sales volumes for X7 vs RR? I assumed they would be similar. I see a ton more RRs than X7s in NYC and Long Island. I am actually starting to consider the new RR as a replacement for my 2020 X7 M50 (even though I am worried about reliability).

Well, good news is they're using BMW V8 motors again, so that will help things.

The constant electronic gremlins are what kept me away from the RR brand. That and a total nightmare-like experience owing a 2006 RR HSE…

[BMW5and7]

Originally Posted by aas5

Does anyone know the sales volumes for X7 vs RR? I assumed they would be similar. I see a ton more RRs than X7s in NYC and Long Island. I am actually starting to consider the new RR as a replacement for my 2020 X7 M50 (even though I am worried about reliability).

For the same price, the RR gets you less driving experience/fun for almost similar tech, which the reason that many owners decided to go with the X7. I personally would like to get the Range Rover Sport (PHEV) next time when my X7 is due for a trade in, but the lack of 3rd row seat to me is a huge disadvantage. The reliability is another concern. I'll have to do some serious thinking next time as I really like the new RR Sport PHEV but have to wait at least 2 years to get mora data on it's reliability. My fear is that it is more of an X5 size and I am worried that it will feel like a down-grade, whereas the largest RR SUV cost way more than than an X7 when both of them are fully optioned.

[collector28]

I am coming from a Range Rover Sport. I currently have an X7 on order and it's scheduled to be built 9/19 but I have had my Sport for 7.5 years and aside from minor issues here and there I haven't had any major issues (luckily). I got it new in 2015 after waiting for it to be built which took about 6 months. I don't know if I was just lucky but the newer Range Rovers build quality seem to be a lot better than the ones of the past. I loved everything about it but just felt that their technology was a bit dated. They didn't even have car play available until another year or two after I got my car.