Borgward Unveils Its New Vehicle, The BX7
In 1919, auto manufacturer Borgward was born. The German company made a name for itself by building three-wheeled vehicles to help businesses get back on track after the Great War. During the next decades, they started to build more luxurious models, like the Isabella. The Isabella was available in many different configurations, including convertible and station wagon versions, but sadly it wasn’t enough to save the brand and Borgward filed for bankruptcy in 1961.
At Geneva’s last auto show, investors stated that the brand would be reborn. A few months later, we saw a teaser shot which showed us that their new vehicle would be an SUV, presumably in an effort to get a large array of buyers interested.
Finally, at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show, we saw the finished product. Here is the first vehicle in more than 50 years to bear the Borgward name: the BX7.
Since Borgward is now owned by Chinese manufacturer Foton Motor, the BX7 will be built in their factories in China. It will be powered by a turbocharged two-litre engine developing no less than 224 horsepower and 222 pound-feet of torque, which will be sent to all four wheels through a twin-clutch automatic gearbox. This powertrain should get the SUV to 100 km/h from a standstill in less than 10 seconds and should be good for a top speed of 200 km/h.
There should also be a plug-in hybrid version, which would harness up to 401 combined horsepower and would be able to travel up to 55 kilometres without using a drop of fuel.
The first BX7 will be sold in China, but the manufacturer has its sights set on Europe. If all goes well, they should start selling their SUV across the pond shortly at a price of 26,000 euros.
- Check out our coverage of the Frankfurt Motor Show