A week before its official debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, BMW gave the world a glance at a concept version of its new flagship SUV, the hybrid SUV X7 iPerformance.

The car is a monster. Its fascia is a looming presence that riffs on the classic BMW kidney grille in an extremely aggressive manner. As BMW’s entry into the large SUV market, the X7 iPerformance represents an ostentatiously forceful statement. It’s designed to appeal to the buyer who balks at a crossover, placing a high-riding perspective at the top of their feature list.

In profile, the car borrows design cues from the 2017 Land Rover: boxy, with a graceful roofline, and panoramic sunroof. Like the Rover, it manages a fairly graceful execution of its utilitarian image. 23-inch wheels contribute to the X7’s height, and the dramatic front and rear enhance the mountainous effect. The X7, as it currently stands, is intended to compete head-on with large SUVs from Infinity and Lexus, as well as Land Rover, Audi and Mercedes. It just might beat them, too.

The concept X7’s interior includes an option for unusual road-going comfort: the three-rows of seating are set up with captain’s chairs, making it a six passenger vehicle, with the luxury of room to spare. Instrument readouts are digitally rendered, a very contemporary look that makes touchscreen and instrument panel a seamless progression. Revised steering wheel controls, ash and aluminum accents, screens for the middle passenger row, and lines of laser lights in the roof are all noticeable refinements of the X series.

Powertrain details for the hybrid are scant at the moment, although BWM does indicate that the ICE component will be a twin-turbo with eDrive.