Are BMW hinting that they will be entering the pickup truck segment?

Are BMW hinting that they are considering entering the pickup truck segment?

BMW has just unveiled their new 8th-gen 5 Series and although there's a lot of exciting stuff to process from the next-gen 5 Series, a few comments made by BMW's head of Design, Domagoj Dukec, have got some of us even more excited  - and its got nothing to do with the 2024 5 Series.

According to carbuzz, during a roundtable discussion with the head of BMW Design, Domagoj Dukec, suggested that BMW is eyeing several new vehicle segments, including the pickup truck segment.

"Since I've been at BMW, people have always been asking for a BMW pickup," Dukec said.

"We always calculated that a luxury truck would just be for the US. Maybe things are changing," Dukec continued.

"The SAV segment is anyway growing and as a carmaker, you're looking at this, definitely."

In the context of BMW, SAV stands for "Sports Activity Vehicle." It is a term used by BMW to describe their line of Sport Utility Vehicles. But since BMW does not conform to traditional naming and segments, perhaps their SAV lineup will include a pickup truck.

Speculation is rife that after teaming up with Toyota to produce the Z4 and Supra, BMW might produce a pickup truck using the TNGA-F platform. But BMW explained that rebadge technology is not an option for them, as all BMWs must drive like a BMW. 

If BMW wishes to try and enter the luxury pickup truck segment, they will have to learn from Mercedes' mistake, as their X-Class can be classified as a failure.

Picture credit: Revere London

It did not achieve significant success in the market for several reasons, including a target market mismatch. The X-Class aimed to appeal to both lifestyle-oriented buyers and commercial customers. However, it struggled to find a clear identity and failed to resonate strongly with either target market. 

Plus, the X-Class was based on the Nissan Navara platform, which led to criticisms of it being essentially a rebranded version of an existing pickup truck rather than a unique offering. This may have impacted its perceived value and exclusivity among buyers.