BMW ute not happening, says design boss

BMW design director Adrian van Hooydonk has finally ruled out a production version of the BMW X7 pick-up concept, claiming that utes aren’t compatible with the German prestige brand.

Speaking to BMWblog, van Hooydonk said that a ute like the 2019 BMW X7 pick-up was ‘“not an obvious fit for the BMW brand”, adding: “We don’t have to go after every trend that is happening.”

BMW’s design boss was asked about the four-year-old BMW concept following the recent sales success of both the Hyundai Santa Cruz and Ford Maverick in the US.

All-electric pick-ups like the Ford F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T have also proven popular with buyers.

The lack of a pick-up could prove costly, as last month rival Audi showed off its new Audi Activesphere concept that envisaged a pure-electric coupe that could turn into a ute at the touch of a button.

But BMW’s boss remains unconcerned about the lack of pick-up in the car-maker’s product plans.

“If we go into a segment, then we want to go in there for the long haul,” said van Hooydonk, although he did acknowledge the rapid evolution of what was once the humble utility.

“What’s interesting is that the pick-up truck is becoming more sophisticated. The electric drivetrains are coming in. Of course, the prices are going way up. They have also become more refined.

“So those are interesting developments, but not necessary for us to go and jump in that thing right away because, of course, it has to also be somewhat believable, authentic also to the BMW brand.”

The BMW X7 ute concept was created as a one-off by 12 apprentices in the company’s motorcycle division.

Attacking the flagship X7 SUV with a gas axe, over 10 months the team created a sizeable teak and carbon-fibre-lined load bed.

Under the bonnet there was the standard car’s 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six-cylinder that produced 250kW/450Nm and combined with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

Weighing an incredible 200kg less than the full-size SUV, the X7 ute featured a decent 1400mm-long bed that could be extended to 2000mm by lowering the rear tailgate.

That meant it was able to carry a big BMW F 850 GS Touring bike, while its custom-made adjustable rear suspension beefed-up payload to cope with the higher loads.

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