The current SM7 is long overdue for a replacement, as it has been on the market since 2004. It is built on Nissan’s J31 platform that is found in the Asian market version of the Teana and the sixth generation of the North American Nissan Maxima, so we also expect to see a touch of Nissan in the newest version.
The successor to the SM7 throne will be officially unveiled in just a few weeks, at the upcoming Seoul Motor Show (April 1-10), in the form of a design study. We expect it to be one of the main attractions of the show, thanks to its bold design.
The only teaser image that has been released shows a clear emphasis on muscular features. From the side especially, it looks very similar to the four-door coupe looks of the previous generation Mercedes CLS.
At the front, we spot a large trapezoidal grille that seems to dominate any other feature on the concept car. Its lines are then carried over into the shape of the engine hood. What’s really weird is that the rear of the teaser sketch is not being revealed, making the concept look like a Scirocco or Megane RS.
Details are scarce at the moment, but it is believed that the SM7 could use an elongated version of the SM5 (known as the Renault Latitude in Europe).
Production is expected to start as early as the second half of the year, with no pricing details available at the moment. It’s unlikely that the model will make an entry into the European market, as the French carmaker has stated that it doesn’t want a car bigger than the Latitude in the model range.
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