“BMW” and “off-roading” rarely appear in the same sentence—unless, of course, you’re talking about that one time we took an X5 rock-crawling. But with the growing popularity of rugged SUVs, Bavaria’s biggest automaker is now eyeing its own alternative to the hugely successful Mercedes-Benz G-Class.
According to a report from Automotive News, BMW is seriously considering a purpose-built off-road SUV in the same vein as the G-Class—which recently celebrated its 600,000th unit produced. The report cites company insiders who claim production could begin in the second half of 2029 at BMW’s Spartanburg, South Carolina, plant.
Photo by: DW Burnett
Internally codenamed G74, the new SUV will reportedly ride on an upgraded version of the BMW X5 platform. It’s also expected to serve as a successor to the XM, BMW’s halo SUV, which is expected to exit the lineup by 2028 after a lukewarm reception.
As a quasi-replacement for the XM, BMW’s first dedicated off-roader won’t come cheap. The XM currently starts at $160,775 in the US, with the higher-output Label trim now the only version available following the discontinuation of the base model. For comparison, the entry-level Mercedes G550 starts at $149,400.
Of course, if you’re eager to go off-road in a BMW today, the brand does offer a more rugged version of the X5. Equipped with the xOffroad package—which includes all-terrain tires, a modest ride height lift, and not much else—the X5 starts at $80,175.
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Source: DW Burnett
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