Visitors at the BMW Welt this festive season are in for a treat with the display of the one-off BMW X7 pick-up – a showpiece of what’s possible if automotive manufacturing isn’t bound by economics.
The X7 pick-up was built by 12 BMW trainees and despite being 100 mm longer than the production model, it is 200 kg lighter with generous use of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) on the rear doors and roof.
The cargo bed that resembles the deck of a luxury yacht is the result of tastefully-lined teak wood – impressive considering the entire project did not receive any supervision from more experienced BMW engineers – a common practise when building concept cars.
The fantasy of a BMW pick-up, let alone one that’s based on the enormous X7, may sound like an interesting, limited-production run prospect but seeing as the Mercedes-Benz X-class has received less than favourable response, it’s unlikely that BMW would follow suit.
The X7 pick-up was based on the xDrive40i with a 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six with 340 hp and 420 Nm. It is also the only variant currently on sale in Malaysia, priced at RM888,800.
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