- Mercedes has sold the G-Class for decades with no German rival.
- Both Audi and BMW are now reportedly weighing rugged off-roaders.
- Renderings preview how a future BMW off-roader could look if approved.
For decades, Mercedes-Benz has sold the G-Class without a single direct rival from Audi or BMW, a rare stretch of open road for a vehicle this expensive and this recognizable. That’s unusual for the German three, who tend to answer each other’s every move, matching sedan for sedan, coupe for coupe, and SUV for SUV until every niche has three badges fighting over it.
That stretch could soon come to an end. Reports now suggest Audi is weighing a rugged SUV of its own, and BMW is thinking along the same lines, with a new model possibly arriving in 2029.
Read: BMW Is Planning A Rugged G-Class Rival That May Kill The XM
As any potential G-Class from BMW is still several years away, assuming it ever reaches production at all, there’s no way to know how it might look. However, one possibility is something close to what you see here, carrying proportions in the G-Class mold but with cleaner, more refined lines, closer in spirit to the current Lexus GX than to anything boxy and upright.
These renderings come from Kelsonik, and the BMW they depict looks extremely compelling. Admittedly, we’re not entirely convinced the German marque is capable of designing something which looks this good, but one can only hope.
Also: Audi’s G-Class Rival Gets A Face In This Render, Scout Can Give It Everything Else
As with several new BMW models these days, the off-roader includes small, upright kidney grilles and sleek LED headlights, giving it a more modern aesthetic than a G-Wagen. There’s also a skid plate at the front and large air intakes, which could be used to help cool BMW’s fantastic twin-turbocharged V8, an engine that would be perfect for a vehicle like this.
Other key elements of the vehicle’s design include flared wheel arches, blacked-out wheels, and all-terrain tires. It also includes roof rails and looks especially mean in an all-black finish. Visible at the rear are thin LED taillights and a spare wheel carrier. It doesn’t really read like a BMW from the back, but it does look good.
What Is BMW Saying About A G-Class Rival?
Reports that BMW was mulling a vehicle like this first surfaced almost a year ago. A company spokesperson declined to comment then, but earlier this year, BMW M boss Frank van Meel voiced interest in M-branded off-road products, raising hopes for a machine to take on the Mercedes-AMG G 63 and Land Rover Defender Octa, and perhaps Audi’s rumored contender that could ride on the new Scout’s hardware.
