BMW X7 single-cab ute outed

BMW has consistently denied rumours that it will enter the pick-up truck or ute game with a rival for the Mercedes-Benz X-Class. But a recent concept ute built by the company, based on the large X7 SUV, adds fuel to the speculative fires.

Now a second BMW X7 pick-up has been created, this time by prolific CG artist Rain Prisk , who formerly worked on family favourites such as the Ford Focus RS-X, Bugatti Chiron desert dueler and Range Rover Velar.

In his Facebook post revealing the two images, Prisk has a swipe at the official BMW X7 ute concept, which was created by BMW apprentices, saying "I saw the one-off X7 pickup that BMW did, and I'm not a big fan of that design. So I quickly tried to make one myself."

The BMW X7 design is a single-cab effort with a stubby tray but has a neat, integrated look.

If BMW did hit the go button on a big ute – based on the US-built BMW X7 large SUV – it would be powered by a range of petrol and diesel engines, six- and eight-cylinder.

The official BMW X7 dual-cab ute makes use of a 3.0-litre turbo-petrol straight six-piston engine, producing engine output of 250kW and 450Nm, pumping through an eight-speed transmission to all four wheels.

But imagine a tyre-frying, range-topping BMW M ute powered by the Bavarian brand's stove-hot 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine? With 460kW of power and 750Nm of torque, it would be one of the fastest factory utes ever.

As it stands, BMW says it has no plans to introduce a BMW X7-based ute. But sometimes plans change...

Images: Rain Prisk via Facebook