If you look at BMW’s portfolio, you can easily see that there is no such thing as a body on frame platform. However, that doesn’t mean there weren’t tries to make a pickup truck. Decades ago, the Bavarian carmaker came to an idea to make a small coupe/ute pickup, based on 3 Series. A couple of concepts were made, but we never saw anything close to serial production. These days, everyone is talking about the BMW X7 Pickup Truck. This model would be based on a new flagship crossover, with much more truckish features than its predecessors.
The rendering photos have been shown and we can see something that looks pretty mightful. However, we will have to disappoint you, because the BMW X7 Pickup Truck will probably be a one-off model and chances for serial production are pretty much zero.
BMW X7 Pickup Truck Design
The rendering photos circulate on the internet and from what we can see, the BMW X7 Pickup Truck looks pretty amazing. Of course, it is based on the new full-size crossover. It shares many visual parts and most of the mechanics, though there are notable differences as well. For example, the new truck is even bigger than the crossover. It is for about four inches longer than the SUV, but we it is also lighter, for about 80 pounds. Many parts of the truck, including roof, doors and other panels are made from composite materials, which is highly beneficial in terms of weight savings.
How capable would BMW X7 Pickup Truck be?
As we’ve just mentioned, the BMW X7 Pickup Truck shares a lot of mechanics with the new crossover. Of course, that means a new CLAR unibody platform as well. Those who know a little bit about trucks are aware of all the benefits of such a design approach. Considering that we are talking about a luxury vehicle, a unibody platform is probably a better solution, because of superior comfort and ride quality. On the other side, this truck definitely won’t be able to tow as many pounds as BoF rivals, but still more than enough for an average truck driver.
Styling
In terms of the styling, there is no need to waste words of BMW X7 Pickup Truck. Once again, you will find a lot of similarities with the SUV sibling, particularly at the front. Practically, the front end is the same as on the new crossover, with a new large and bold grille design. From bumper to B pillar, things are pretty much the same. The truck comes in some kind of double of crew cab layout and we presume that, if the BMW X7 Pickup Truck is about to enter serial production, single cab models definitely wouldn’t be in the offer.
The rest of the vehicle comes in a typical truck manner. There is a decent bed size, while the company has managed to keep many parts untouched. So, you can notice that taillights are pretty much the same as in the crossover. Another interesting detail is the cargo bed, with features a nice yacht-like wood panels.
Engines
There’s no doubt that the new BMW X7 Pickup Truck if it ever arrives, would feature a familiar engine lineup. The model that was presented came with the X7 base engine. It is a well- known 3.0-liter inline-six, which is good for about 340 horsepower. Of course, higher versions would come with a bigger 4.4-liter V8 that delivers 456 horsepower. At some point, we would see a hi-performance version as well. The new pickup truck would get a complete M treatment, which includes various modifications, not only on the engine but in other aspects as well. Speaking of the engine, a familiar V8 would be tuned to around 525 horsepower.
Will there be BMW X7 Pickup Truck?
As we already mentioned, probably not. This model will, just like the previous M3-based pickups remain a one-off unit, a kind of a concept. Therefore, it makes no sense to talk about the BMW X7 Pickup Truck price or similar things. At this point, it doesn’t seem possible to expect such large and expensive truck on a unibody platform. However, that doesn’t mean we couldn’t see BMW pickup truck in production after all.
Although the company originally announced that they won’t follow the arch-rival Mercedes-Benz and its X-Class, things could easily change in the future. We could see a unibody mid-size pickup truck, something similar to successful Honda Ridgeline, just in a much more luxurious package. More details should be known in the future.