- Plans for a rugged BMW SUV have allegedly stalled.
- Model was reportedly scheduled to arrive in 2029.
- Company appears to think it would be a slow-seller.
Rugged trucks and SUVs are a hot commodity that typically sell for a premium. Given this, automakers have embraced pricey off-roaders as they help to pad the bottom line.
Even BMW, who once billed themselves as purveyors of the “ultimate driving machine,” toyed around with the idea. Last year, a report suggested the company was considering an SUV that would rival the Land Rover Range Rover, Lexus LX, and Mercedes G-Class.
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The model was rumored to arrive as early as 2029 and be built in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It was expected to be based on the latest X5 and potentially replace the slow-selling XM.
Earlier this year, BMW M CEO Frank van Meel seemed open to a rugged, high-performance SUV as he noted off-road racing is a thing. He specifically mentioned the Dakar rally and said an M model wouldn’t be a “contradiction” because of that.
Fast forward to today and BMW Blog is reporting the project has “quietly stalled before getting the final approval.” Details are limited, but the publication suggested the automaker believed the model wouldn’t generate enough sales to justify its development. Needless to say, the company might be a little more cautious about high-end SUVs following the XM’s failure.
It’s also worth noting the company will introduce 40 new or updated models by the end of 2027. That’s a staggering number in a short amount of time, so you could see why BMW wouldn’t want to add even more work to the schedule.
That being said, the publication suggested the project isn’t entirely dead as it could still potentially receive the green light. Only time will tell what happens, but the odds are looking increasingly long.
