Mercedes tried and failed. Conquering the pickup truck market is not so simple and easy, even for a company with such a reputation. However, the collapse of the X-Class is not discouraging BMW from developing its own utility vehicle. We still don’t know too much about it. Our sources confirmed there are signs of development but under the top secret stamp. The main truck market is in North America, but the German company might debut at home. The BMW pickup truck will be available worldwide.
The carmaker can use a lot of things from its big SUVs. Powerful engines won’t lack power. BMWs are not afraid to go off road, although their owners won’t do that too often because of the price and maintenance costs. X7 is sitting on the ladder frame, so we see it as an excellent base for the BMW pickup truck. It still doesn’t have a name. Crossovers and SUVs have X in the alphanumeric codes, while cars mostly have M.
BMW Pickup Truck Specs
There will be plenty of power for the BMW pickup truck, but the engine choice depends on the size of the vehicle. It was certain that the pickup is going to be a midsize model. In this case, a 2.0-liter turbo-four with a 258 horsepower setup would be good enough as an entry-level option. The xDrive AWD will be standard for the BMW truck and automatic transmission distributes power. With a four-pot engine, the towing capacity is not going to be spectacular.
But, that is where a six-cylinder unit jumps in. A 3.0-liter I6 is a more serious configuration. Engineers can tune it to deliver more than 350 horsepower, which is enough to increase the towing capacity to 7,000 pounds. However, BMW will focus on luxury, and not working. An I6 unit can also be there if the company wants to join the game in the full-size segment. In this case, the reinforcement is going to be a mighty V8. With it, owners of the BMW pickup truck can get 520 hp. The German company is always after the top models in each segment. When it comes to trucking, Ram TRX and Ford Raptor R deliver massive power outputs. With proper tuning, the BMW pickup and V8 engine can be competitive in the performance-oriented class.
What Will BMW Pickup Truck Look Like?
The main question is what size the truck will be. We were pretty confident that the BMW is after a midsize model rather than a big full-size truck. Now, a new class emerged – a compact pickup segment. That brings more hesitance, questions and options. Now, fans actually really believe in the compact truck. A vehicle with a similar purpose was actually wearing BMW badge a long time ago. It could be revived, but rather based on the X3 crossover than the M3 sedan.
Launching a small pickup makes even more sense with a lack of competition. Also, those vehicles rely on efficiency, rather than towing capacity. On the other hand, BMW can add new dimensions – luxury and performance. The German manufacturer is definitely a serious company which can complete all the requirements.
When it comes to the look, there won’t be surprises. Traditional kidney grille dominates the front fascia. The interior is going to be packed with premium materials and advanced systems. We just need to wait to see how BMW is going to convert the body into a truck.
Luxury Trucks: Why There Is No Any?
Actually, there are some premium trucks, but not from premium brands. Ford packs its F-150 with a lot of advanced equipment, and the price is close to $100k, but the company is not using Lincoln badge. The same is with General Motors. Chevy and GMC pickups are out with high-end options and hefty prices, but the Cadillac truck is not coming back yet. Lexus still keeps many types of sports cars that other companies discontinued. However, a pickup is not in the plans, although it can share a lot of things with Toyota Tacoma or Tundra.
Truckers in the US won’t save to upgrade their rides. But, they spend money on parts and performance boosts that will make towing easier. Premium gadgets are not a priority. Whoever is after these, buys an SUV. So, truckmakers pack existing non-premium pickups with advanced features, rather than develop and build a luxury model.
Mercedes Failed, Can BMW Succeed
One of the main rivals to the Bavarian carmaker, Stuttgart-based Tri-Point logo company, tried to build a truck. Well, the X-Class was not a pure Mercedes. It was basically a Nissan Navara with a few touches of German luxury. Still, they didn’t want to get involved more into the trucking, so the project failed pretty quickly. That is why BMW doesn’t rush with its pickup truck. The company wants to launch a unique vehicle and when they are 100% percent sure in success.