BMW dealers in America are reportedly begging the automaker to bring out an SUV even larger than the X7, which would theoretically compete directly with the Lincoln Navigator and Cadillac Escalade. And as paradoxical as the idea of a massive Bimmer sport-ute might seem, the German automaker is apparently open to the idea. Speaking to a gathering of journalists at the debut of the i3 electric sedan, Senior Vice President of Brand and Product Management Bernd Koerber acknowledged that such a product would probably be very successful in a few key markets.BMW An SUV That Suits American Tastes Koerber is frank about such a vehicle's intended market and audience. Speaking of the X7, he said that overall, around 80 percent of the three-row SUV's sales happen in the United States, with another 10 percent or so going to the Middle East. Given the proposed full-size SUV – which would probably go by the moniker X9 – would be even larger, it would skew more toward the American market. But that doesn't mean BMW will make it exclusive to us and us alone.Inherently, we would also like to make something that works globally, while [a larger SUV] would be something that's very US-specific. But yes, we could offer something that would fit the brand and the segment.–Bernd Koerber, BMW Senior Vice President of Brand and Product ManagementThat would likely include global markets that are friendly to large, distinctive automobiles. The Middle East jumps to mind, as do China and South Korea – incidentally, some of the only regions where Mercedes-Benz markets its V12-powered Maybach super-sedan. However, it's possible that some European markets would accept an X9 full-size SUV, and it would be an undeniably appealing prospect for heads of state who want more space and a higher view of the road than existing German luxury SUVs can offer. Nothing Is Set In Stone Just Yet Koerber clearly thinks that a large SUV has potential, but in order for the X9 to come to fruition, it needs to pass a few different litmus tests first. "It's still a question of whether that would be a right thing for us to do," the SVP said. A plus-size luxury SUV would still need to conform to the company's standards for driving enjoyment and performance, with better roadholding and a more composed ride than some of its body-on-frame rivals can muster. If BMW finds it's not able to build a large SUV that "feels" like a Bimmer, then we presume the automaker wouldn't move forward with it.BMWAnother issue is how the X9 would be engineered. The scalable CLAR platform that shows up under the current X5 and X7 could potentially be upsized further to suit an even bigger SUV, because it's unlikely BMW would invest money in a specific platform for a relatively low-volume product. We wonder, however, if the German automaker could lean on its Rolls-Royce subsidiary for some assistance. The Architecture of Luxury space frame that the Cullinan rides on can accommodate that SUV's 130-inch wheelbase, which would probably be the sweet spot for a large Bimmer considering the X7 is about 7.8 inches shorter between the axles. Even if BMW finds it can develop a large enough platform to accommodate a full-size SUV, and even if the automaker decides it will find some markets that would embrace it with open arms, the X9 still isn't a done deal. Sales for the profitable X5 and X7 remain brisk (which provides the company with some shelter from tariffs given their US construction), and devoting additional production capacity to an ostensibly less popular product may not be an appealing business decision for Munich."We could offer something that would fit the brand and segment," Koerber said. "But that does not mean automatically that it will happen."