BMW X7 ECU search seemingly confirms that M60i will happen

Surprisingly not introduced with the standard X7 in October last year, it now seemingly appears that the much rumoured M60i version of BMW’s biggest SUV will become a reality as evident by a new spy image.

Published by the bimmerpost forum page, a scouring, presumably by an X7 owner through the model’s ECU system, resulted in the popping-up of an X7 M60i logo within the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster when a series of coding options were being investigated. Although BMW has not disclosed any details regarding the M60i, the logo’s existence effectively confirms that such a model will indeed happen, though the choice of engine remains a mystery.

In August last year, an entry by the BMW Blog of the then still-to-be-launched X7 claimed that the M model would produce 600 PS, meaning the fitment of the 4.4-litre bi-turbo V8 engine from the M5 and M8 that delivers 441 kW or exactly 600 PS.

Given the ’60’ designation however, it seems more likely that motivation will come from the 6.6-litre bi-turbo V12 engine that powers the M760Li xDrive. Outputting 430kW/850Nm, the expected use of the bent-twelve could also be its swansong after BMW M boss, Markus Flasch, confirmed in June that the big displacement motor will not be carried over when the current 7 Series bows out next year or in 2021.

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