The front kidney grilles of the BMW X7 are so massive that they’re perhaps the closest thing we have to a black hole on the planet, capable of sucking in stars and galaxies. Ever since the car launched, this grille has triggered endless debates.
To give us an idea of just how gargantuan the grille of the X7 is compared to more elegant BMW models of yesteryear, the crew at Throttle House recently snapped a picture showing the grille of an E30 3-Series held up alongside the X7’s grille. The difference is shocking.
Production of the E30-generation 3-Series commenced in 1982 before being replaced by the E36 in 1990, though some variants, such as the Touring, were made through 1994, meaning late models are now at least 25 years old. Over the years since the E30 hit the market, all subsequent 3-Series models have featured larger and larger grilles and it is a similar story for all other current BMW models.
BMW’s kidney grille has changed a lot over the decades
However, it’s worth mentioning that while large kidney grilles are new for the German automaker in the 21st century, the company does have a long history of building vehicles with front fascias dominated by expansive grilles.
1933 BMW 303
For example, many BMW models built in the 1930s and 1940s featured huge kidney grilles. One of these was the BMW 303 with a grille so massive that it makes the grille of the X7 seem relatively small. Of course, the overall shape of vehicles back in the 1930s was radically different to what you’ll find today so the grille of the 303 never looked particularly out of place.
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What do you think of the X7’s grille? Let us know below.