BMW and Audi sat idly by for decades while Mercedes basically printed money with the G-Class. Land Rover also enjoyed great success with the Defender. However, it was only a few years ago that the British off-roader ventured into the luxury sector. Better late than never, the two notable absentees from this niche are now laying the foundation for the introduction of their own stylish, go-anywhere SUVs.
BMW is developing a “G74” model with real off-road capabilities for 2029. It is expected that there will be both a plug-in hybrid and a fully electric version based on the CLAR platform. As for Audi, the company boss recently indicated that the four rings are also preparing to enter this segment. Gernot Döllner told us Autocar We should be “excited” to see a rugged SUV that stands out from the regular Q-badged lineup.
The Audi boss also encouraged customers who dream of a high-riding luxury vehicle to “not give up on that dream.” Considering how lucrative the luxury off-roader segment is in the U.S., it makes perfect sense for Audi to target G-Class and Defender buyers. It is still unclear when the model will be launched or whether it will be launched before the BMW competitor.
Since the “G74” will use the CLAR platform, it will certainly feature a unibody construction. The G-Class and Defender, on the other hand, have a ladder frame. It’s too early for Audi to reveal technical details, but we know that parent company Volkswagen Group is reviving the Scout brand with the Traveler SUV. A Terra pickup is also planned, with both models featuring a body-on-frame architecture. The Scout duo will be electric and available with or without petrol engines to extend the range.
While many enthusiasts would like to see BMW, Audi and Mercedes meet in the sports car space, SUVs are the smarter business move. The German luxury trio can use existing architectures to develop new models and maximize economies of scale, rather than investing heavily in bespoke, low-volume cars. Ideally, profits from these SUVs will help fund the development of fun, enthusiast-oriented vehicles.
One area they won’t compete in is the pickup truck market. The Nissan Navara-based X-Class was a financial disaster, so it’s unlikely Mercedes will try another luxury truck any time soon. BMW has been toying with the idea of a pickup truck, but has made it clear that there won’t be a production version. As far as Audi is concerned, it doesn’t actually need one, considering that the Volkswagen Group already covers this segment (more or less) with the Amarok.
Source: Autocar
