This story contains renderings for a fictional X SUV that are neither related to nor endorsed by BMW.
The rise of the crossover is a decidedly modern concept. While there certainly were SUVs in the 1980s, they were a niche product for a specific clientele. And that’s a shame, because if the Jeep Wagoneer proved anything, the design trends of years gone by lend themselves well to the body style.
That’s why we decided to “ask” an AI photo generator to help us imagine what it would have looked like if one of the masters of ’80s design, BMW, had tried its hand at creating a utility vehicle.
We decided to focus on the two most mass market BMW crossovers for this little thought experiment, and wanted to see what the BMW X3 and the X5 would have looked like if they had been penned by the likes of Claus Luthe, BMW’s chief designer from 1976 through the ’80s.
Read: Audi RS2 Gets A Fictional Over-The-Top Widebody Makeover
The results are surprisingly convincing, and honestly pretty good. The AI generated a number of different iterations, all working largely on the same design themes. They feature distinctive BMW design cues, such as the shark nose, the Hofmeister kink, and they feature an era appropriate boxiness.
An arrow straight belt line running along the side of the rendering evokes many of the BMWs at the time, including the original E21 3-Series, the E30 3-Series, as well as the E12 and E28 5-Series cars, but could equally be inspired by the first-generation X5, which is a strong design in its own right.
One of the versions even looks like it could be an X3 M, thanks to its bright red paint, its mesh BBS wheels, and its widened wheel arches. A decidedly modern concept, the muscle SUV, it seems, would have worked quite well in the ’80s, too. The woody side paneling on one of the images, though, is to my mind the best. It really summons the spirit of the age while also working with the rest of the design.
What do you think, though? Do the 1980s X SUVs look rad as hell, or too lame to sell? Let us know in the comments, and let us know if there are any other automotive mashups you’d like to see.
