These are the first official images of Borgward's new SUV, the BX7, which has been unveiled ahead of its public debut in Frankfurt next week.
The SUV is the first car to come from the reborn vehicle manufacturer in half a century, following the return of the Borgward name at the Geneva motor show earlier this year. Sales of the BX7 are due to start in China early next year, with European sales coming later.
These pictures show that the BX7 has similar dimensions to the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC. A large bar grille can be seen at the front, with a prominent Borgward badge. The car's sloping roofline culminates in a boot-mounted spoiler at the rear, while the BX7's lower edges feature body cladding.
Speaking at Borgward’s brand relaunch at the Geneva motor show back in March, company officials confirmed they were working on a plug-in hybrid system, suggesting that at least one powertrain option for the new SUV will be electrified.
According to reports, the BX7's main engine will be a 221bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol, while the hybrid variant will have a combined power output of 296bhp and be capable of travelling up to 34 miles on electric power alone.
It's also believed that the new model will be offered with all-wheel drive and a newly developed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Borgward is placing a big emphasis on in-car connectivity for its new model range. Its bespoke telematic concept, dubbed 'Multiple Interaction', is claimed to “change the way you think about the car”. No pictures of the car's interior have yet been released.
The reborn manufacturer is targetting both European and emerging markets with its new models. It aims to deliver 800,000 per year by 2020, before ramping up production to produce 1.6 million cars annually by 2025.
Speaking at the Geneva motor show, Borgward president Karlheinz Knöss said: “We want to become one of the top players in the automotive industry.”
Following the launch of its initial SUV, Borgward will unveil a second production model at the Geneva motor show in 2016. The company has said its model range will be “luxurious, inventive and bold”.
Founded in 1919, Borgward went bankrupt in 1961. Its former production base in Bremen was purchased by Mercedes-Benz, and is now used to make the C-Class, SLK, SL and the GLC.
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