Does BMW Make A Pickup Truck?
We all know BMW, right? A German luxury vehicle and motorcycle company that has managed to make itself iconic in more ways than one. From sports cars to sedans to motorcycles, BMW is considered top-of-the-line and is coveted by all who recognize the name and the vehicles they make. Cars and motorcycles produced by BMW are considered by many to be some of the very best available on the market today. Cars and motorcycles? But what about trucks? Unfortunately for many, pickup trucks were not a run-of-the-mill product for BMW. At least, they never have been until lately. Last year, a group of BMW trainees designed a one-off pickup, the X7, for a company event called Motorrad Days, and to be honest, this is one hot truck. For those of you who are BMW fans, and for those fans who have been daydreaming that this moment would actually come, well, sometimes dreams that seem very impossible are realized wonderfully. Let’s take a look at the BMW X7 pickup truck…we think you’ll be impressed.
The BMW X7: A Fantasy Truck?
It is a bit easy to be impressed by this new rig. Now, those of us that are familiar with BMW vehicles know that they have produced an SUV…the X7 xDrive40i, which is about the closest thing to a pickup they offered. Well, the X7 is actually based on this model. It has all-wheel drive, an inline-6 engine, and air suspension. The four-door body truly resembles its predecessor from the rear doors to the nose, but that is where the similarities end. There is no third seat, or another window section after the rear. Rather, an upright rear window is featured, and behind that is a teakwood-lined bed that is simply dazzling. There is also a custom tailgate, rear bumper, and taillights to top the whole thing off. It’s unique in shape, with a definite BMW flavor to it. While different, it does have its practical uses…after all, the concept truck presented at Motorrad Days was shown with a BMW motorcycle secured in the bed, so there is plenty of room.
Let’s Talk About Those Features
With the few points above being made, we thought it would be better to simply get down and dirty with the features. Keep in mind that the X7 is gigantic…you are going to be surprised how big it is…it has actually been compared to a yacht! Let’s take a closer look at the outside, the inside, and the engine specs, shall we?
BMW’s Concept X7’s Exterior and Mechanical Specs and Features
- A full four inches longer than the SUV version
- 55” truck bed (79 with tailgate lowered)
- Much lighter body, thanks to carbon fiber rear lid, roof, and back doors (this alteration took 441 lbs. of weight from the design!)
- Body style is literally yacht-inspired
- All-wheel drive system
- Puts out 340 horses
- An incredible 31 mpg/combined
- Inline-6 engine
- Silver handgrips behind rear windows
Interior Specs
So, here’s the news on the interior: Because of the X7 pickup’s concept-car status it’s proving very difficult to nail down any interior details or specs. We do know that this particular pickup is based on the X7 SUV, so we can assume that much of the interior, if not all of it, is much like that of its predecessor. With that in mind, you can guess that it’s fully loaded, very spacious, and has some of the most comfortable seating with all the trimmings. Pretty cool though, even without the details.
As far as other specs? Well, many of the more intricate mechanical details have not been released due to the fact that the X7 pickup will never go into production. The Motorrad Days release is the only one in existence, though it is fully street-legal and drivable. Unfortunately, none of us can count on ever owning one of our own. Bottom line? It’s a dream on wheels.
More Interesting Information
So, if there is only one X7 pickup in existence that is actually drivable then who get’s the privilege of enjoying it? Well, to be honest, no one. The fact is that the concept pickup is on display at BMW Welt, which is sort of a combination of a museum, exhibition, and event hall. Located in Munich at Am Reisenfeld and is situated next to Olympic Park. It only takes a few minutes to walk to Welt from the BMW museum, so if you plan to pay the main museum a visit, it would be the perfect time to check out this mind-blowing little beast.
Another interesting little tidbit regarding the X7 pickup is the fact that it was designed by twelve BMW trainees. Who are these trainees, and why did they do this? Well, the trainees are actually part of a program called the BMW Group Vocational Training Program. They worked side-by-side on the project with the concept car development team at the company, and they actually created the vehicle in only ten months. I guess if you have to be trained, you should be trained by some of the best. It shows, in our opinion, in this case.
What’s the Real Verdict?
As of this writing, the verdict is pretty much as we’ve said: The BMW X7 concept pickup is just that…a concept vehicle. Yes, it’s fully street legal, but it’s sitting in a museum on display for the world to see (and long terribly for). We know that in the past BMW has indulged this pickup craving they’ve had a time or two before, and while concept pickups have come and gone, nothing ever came to fruition for the purchasing public. The same thing is being said, even by BMW, about the X7. But who knows? Maybe on some sunny day they’ll decide to produce it, or something like it, for people like you and me, but we’re not counting on it anytime soon. Unfortunately, the closest any of us is ever going to get is the Welt in Munich. Until then, have fun dreaming.
