Mercedes-Benz X-Class, beware! The first BMW pick-up is here! The vehicle built at the Munich plant is exhibited at the BMW Motorrad Days, starting today.
Twelve trainees of the BMW Munich plant converted the new BMW X7 into the first BMW pick-up. They worked closely with the Concept Vehicle Construction and Model Technology divisions. The pick-up is based on the company’s most luxurious SUV, the BMW X7 xDrive40i, with 340 horsepower.
The cab, with a luxurious ambience, can now accommodate up to five people, similar to the X-Class.
The cargo area is handcrafted and features a honey-colored fine-polished teakwood finish. Its length is of 140 centimeters when closed and of 200 centimeters when open. The flatbed of the standard X-Class measures 1.72 meters long, while the extended-bed variant, developed by Mercedes-Benz in collaboration with VanPartner Veth Automotive, goes all the way to 2.06 meters.
Even though it is 10 centimeters longer than the SUV, the pick-up weighs 200 kilograms less, due to an intelligent use of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) in the rear doors and the rear lid.
The car, painted in Tanzanite Blue metallic, is equipped with a height-adjustable two-level air suspension, that allows the adjustment of the height. The vehicle is accompanied by one of the top performers in the adventure segment, the BMW F 850 GS motorcycle.
The twelve trainees worked for ten months to get this project going. They were free to decide on conception and implementation, but had to forgo the additional expert assistance normally provided in concept car construction. Therefore, the vehicle is functional, yet the X-Class will remain alone in the premium pick-up segment outside the United States. The BMW pick-up is not planned for series production, at least not for the moment.