Sales of utes – or mid-sized pickups – have been booming in certain markets, with Australia in particular being a global leader.
Locally, utes account for about 20 per cent of all vehicle sales, despite offering a relatively small buy growing range of products. This lucrative segment has seen unexpected brands like Kia join up, while it’s almost become a prerequisite to sell a ute in order to be successful in Australia.
However, there isn’t enough demand for everyone to have a crack, and BMW seems to be happy sitting on the sidelines for now.
Speaking to BMW Blog, BMW’s Brand and Product Management Senior Vice President, Bernd Koerber, reiterated the German marque has no interest in utes.
“I don’t think that would make sense,” Koerber told the publication. “Pickup? No. Pickup is not a segment we look at.”
The executive’s comments reflect those he’s made in the past, including as recently as last year.
That’s despite rival marque Mercedes-Benz having previously sold a ute in the X-Class, though the Nissan Navara-based dual-cab was deeply unsuccessful.
Though BMW is seemingly turned off putting utes into production, it has previously teased what it could make, if it really wanted to.
Back in 2011, it turned the then-contemporary E92 M3 into a ute, however it was just a one-off for an April Fools’ joke – despite BMW actually making one, rather than using Photoshop.
Six years ago in 2019 it cut the rear bodywork off an X7 SUV and showed off its motorcycle-carrying abilities. Again, even though it had been worked on for 10 months, it never saw production.
While there are more than half a dozen brands selling utes in Australia, none of their offerings can truly be said to have the same luxury orientation of what buyers would come to expect of a BMW.
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