BMW is big enough to enter just about any segment of the market it’s not in yet. There’s a car with the famous roundel in nearly all vehicle classes. Hatchbacks, sedans, coupes, convertibles, wagons, SUVs – you name it. The German luxury brand hasn’t gone lower than the 1 Series because that’s what MINI is for. At the other end, Alpina is expected to bridge the gap between the fanciest BMWs and the “entry-level” Rolls-Royce models.
But there are two types of vehicles BMW still refuses to do: trucks and rugged SUVs. Company officials have gone on record repeatedly to say trucks are not going to happen. Yes, that’s despite engineers playing around with M3s and an X7 by secretly turning them into trucks. As for off-road sport utility vehicles, that door remains open. Earlier this year, we spoke with Bernd Körber, Senior Vice President of BMW Brand and Product Management, Connected Company, and he didn’t rule out a go-anywhere type of vehicle.
Körber admitted the Land Rover Defender and Mercedes G-Class are long-running successes. Ironically, the Defender OCTA uses a BMW V8 engine. He went on to point out that adventurous vehicles are increasingly popular worldwide: “Rugged is an interesting trend because it has moved from the US, South Africa, and Australia phenomenon into a global phenomenon.” We shouldn’t be reading too much into this because a rugged model hasn’t received the green light yet. That raises the question – should there be a tough BMW SUV?
I’m talking about a dedicated model instead of a regular X model with the xOffroad Package like this X5 Silver Anniversary Edition. Developing one from scratch would be a costly endeavor made at the wrong time given how BMW is pouring billions into Neue Klasse and sixth-gen batteries to consolidate its EV future. However, there could be a way to speed things up without having to do everything in-house.
Should BMW Team Up With Ineos For A Rugged SUV?
Ineos Automotive powers its Grenadier SUV and Quartermaster pickup truck with B57 and B58 inline-six engines. Perhaps the two could work something out and extend the partnership so that BMW would have access to a body-on-frame platform? It’s just a theory that I have, so don’t take it as a rumor, let alone a fact.
For what it’s worth, BMW seems more eager to work with other automakers given the Toyota tie-up on hydrogen. It follows the Z4/Supra relationship. On the flip side, it could be discouraged by the commercial flop that was the Mercedes X-Class, a posh pickup truck based on the Nissan Navara.
With unexpected cars such as the 2 Series Active Tourer minivan and the Gran Turismo hatchbacks, BMW has demonstrated it’s not afraid to experiment. We could stretch that list to include the XM as well. A proper off-roader is a tricky business since it wouldn’t be related to existing models. By that I mean the underpinnings since the engines, gearbox, and whatnot could be adapted from existing SUVs.
Maybe the proliferation of the Neue Klasse will make things easier for BMW to develop a Rivian R1S rival. That mysterious electric coupe spied a few months ago sat unusually high, offering a surprisingly generous ground clearance. It’s unclear whether it was a prototype for a future sports coupe or just a test mule for the dedicated electric car architecture. Either way, the high-riding stance intrigued us.
If a purpose-built off-roader is out of the question, BMW could at least go a step beyond the xOffroad Package. Work is underway for the next-generation X5 (G65) coming in 2026 and the X7 (G67) a year later. A new trim level catering to outdoorsy people with a jacked-up suspension, extra plastic body cladding, and some light off-road upgrades could attract new buyers who have already tried the G-Class and Defender.
Of course, BMW doesn’t have to tackle every conceivable segment of the market out there. It’s already doing better than ever in terms of sales, posting record volumes for 2023. Not only that but demand continued to increase in the first half of 2024. The company has its hands full giving current cars the LCI treatment, launching next-gen models, and introducing at least six Neue Klasse-based EVs by 2028.
Consequently, an off-roader likely doesn’t rank high on the list of priorities, but it sure would be interesting. Demand for rugged vehicles has never been this high, so why not claim a piece of the action? Volkswagen will be doing just that with the revival of the Scout brand with electric trucks and SUVs. There’s clearly more interest in this segment, so might as well strike while the iron is hot.