BMW is preparing to expand its crossover line-up with a sporty version of the flagship X7, according to Automotive News Europe.

While BMW has not announced plans for the new crossover, the automaker recently registered the X8 M trademark, as reported by X7Forum.com.

Production of the X8, which would compete against the Lamborghini Urus and Porsche Cayenne Coupe, could begin at BMW's plant in Spartanburg, USA in mid-2022, said Sam Fiorani, vice president at AutoForecast Solutions.

"A top of the line sporty crossover appeals to the person who would have purchased a performance two-seater or coupe a generation or two ago," Fiorani said in an email.

"Instead of buying something like a BMW 850Ci, today's version of that driver would be behind the wheel of a more practical fastback crossover, such as an X8."

The BMW X8 would likely be based on the same platform as the three-row X7 crossover launched in early 2019.

The X7's turbocharged powertrains — a 3-litre six-cylinder engine or a 4.4-litre V8 in the M version — could be shared with the X8, Fiorani told Automotive News Europe.