What do you do when you get bored in your daily job? You come up with crazy projects that might never see the light of day. Or will they? That’s exactly what the BMW engineers in Munich did this Summer. Out of nowhere, BMW has put out a one-off concept model which was dubbed the BMW X7 pickup-truck. The very same project is now displayed at the BMW Welt in Munich.
It was July 2019 when BMW showed us what a future BMW pickup truck could look like, using the large platform of the X7 SUV. The unique conversion was put together by BMW Group vocational trainees in cooperation with the Concept Vehicle Construction and Model Technology divisions at the BMW Munich plant.
Twelve trainees from the occupational sectors body and vehicle mechanics (m/f/x), vehicle mechatronics (m/f/x) and technical model construction (m/f/x) turned a concept into a fully functional, road-legal automobile in show car quality.
The BMW X7 Pick-up offers a generous loading area. The length of the loading space varies from 140 cm (closed) to 200 cm (open). By using CFRP on roof components, rear doors and the rear lid, it was possible to further reduce weight by 200 kg vs. the production model, despite a 10 cm longer body.
A handcrafted loading area boasting a sophisticated fine-polished wood finish, a height-adjustable two-level air suspension and numerous high-class equipment details make this BMW X7 Pick-up an ideal companion for the diverse day-to-day uses and more. A BMW F 850 GS – a powerful motorcycle from the adventure segment – on the loading area completes the conversion.
There is also a unique combination of honey-colored teakwood and the BMW Individual color Tanzanite Blue metallic.
Whether BMW will ever make a pickup truck, it remains to be seen. For now, there is no such project in works, but considering that even Tesla is planning one, we don’t know what the future might hold for us.
[Photos: BMW Welt and @chrism2f87]
This is going to be put in production in a not too distant future. Of course, it is going to look somewhat different as it would’ve evolved.
BMW and Mercedes always take jabs at each other and the former would never let the later have a final say. There is a market for them in this segment.
I, personally, hate the thought of a BMW pickup and don’t want to see it, but something tells me I will see it despite my reservations.
I don’t think you will see a BMW X7 pick-up just because Merc released the X pick-up (Based on a Nissan) There has been a M3 pick-up from a similar team – I think based of the E9X. The BMW Group itself will not bring this to market, maybe some Tuner or coach builder in the US. Maybe MINI will bring a pick-up Countryman or Clubman – I mean from the Clubman there are a few utility versions if my memory serves me well.
You are picking what you want to pick from my post and leave out the other reason I stated, ie, “There is a market for them in this segment.”
Anyway, that is what you think, I think differently to you on this matter.
There is no market. I am not picking what I want. A X7 pick-up would start at EUR 120 k, a totally different price segment in comparison to the Mercedes X-Class and so your argument that there is a market is non-existent.
Mercedes only went into that market because they had a cheap foundation to use – the Nissan Navarra – if Mercedes would have had to develop a platform for the X-Class from scratch, they would have never done so. BMW doesn’t have this cost share factor, so building an X7 pick-up would carry a significant development cost – for what? A few thousand sold X7 pick-ups? No way! This at a time in which BMW is questioning the existence of every current model?
As I stated before for sure not a X7 pick-up, maybe something more at the mid-to-lower price segment like a Mini Countryman/Clubman pick-up but even that is unlikely.
BMW are full range global manufacturer, pick-ups have been #1 best-selling model in rich American market for decades, pick up more volume for Spartanburg.
If Lincoln can do it (& maybe, someday, Tesla), why not BMW?
Never say never. Especially in a hydrogen version