This is the three-row crossover BMW dealerships are anxious to have and the German automaker will soon deliver. Autocar reports the production spec BMW X7 will debut next November at the Los Angeles Auto Show. BMW already previewed the X7 last fall at Frankfurt with the X7 iPerformance concept, so we have a very good idea what the final vehicle will look like. Not long ago we were shown official photos of X7 final stage test mules covered in camouflage at the massive Spartanburg, South Carolina facility where production will take place.

The seven passenger X7 will go head-to-head against the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLS and Audi Q7. Domestic rivals will include the Cadillac Escalade and also brand new Lincoln Navigator, both of which can be optioned with a third row. At launch, the BMW X7 will likely be powered by a range of turbocharged engines, but it's also been engineered for a plug-in hybrid powertrain. The latter option may not be available at launch, but BMW has yet to confirm anything specific. Based on the concept and BMW's own so-called "spy shots," the X7 is clearly a BMW design, with the typical large kidney grilles and slim headlights in line with the latest styling language.

Compared to the X5, currently BMW's largest SUV, the X7 will be a several inches longer, wider and taller. Remember, the X7 was designed specifically to appeal to Americans who demand large SUVs. Another major target audience is China, which is quickly becoming the world's largest automotive market. Now, many have also been wondering whether an X7 M is planned, and the answer is unlikely. Instead, an M Performance variant sounds far more likely and there's some precedent for this logic, the 7 Series sedan. Instead of an M7, there's the M760i, courtesy of M Performance.

You see, at this high level of luxury, buyers are not as much interested in having a full-blown M vehicle, but rather something that better balances performance and luxury. That's just our prediction. In any case, expect for BMW's X7 marketing campaign to get underway in either late summer or early fall just ahead of LA in November.