Do BMW, Audi And Porsche HAVE To Respond To G-Class, Bronco And Defender Or Risk A HUGE Mistake?

In case you haven't noticed peoples taste in vehicle design is changing RAPIDLY.

Six months ago people were poo-pooing the look of CyberTruck but now as we sit in the pandemic bubble many are rethinking their feelings of what their go to vehicle should look like and be capable of.

Three lady friends of mine who were RELIABLE BMW and Porsche Customers just bought G-Classes.

And a lot of people are buzzing about the new Defender and Bronco.

And I think the reason is for the first time with things on edge is that they are thinking "what do I do IF the worst starts happening?" or "If my wife and kids are in a vehicle and it gets surrounded by anarchists, what will protect them best?".

You may think it's far fetched but those are the kind of conversations my dealer salespeople are being bantered about as people shop.

These are volatile and interesting times for sure.

As we speak, certain car companies that USED to be guaranteed business aren't sleeping easy these days.

Because companies like BMW, Porsche, Audi, VW, Lexus and others have NO answer in their stable to a product like a Bronco or G-Class.

This has the potential to become a real tricky problem for them...if the market really amps up for these 'end of the world' style vehicles they could be left out and NO DOUBT they're leaving a LOT of money on the table.

Think it would be odd for Porsche to dabble in this? Well, they actually DID at one time so they have a HISTORY.

The Porsche 597 Jagdwagen (roughly translated as "hunting car") was a light military vehicle, designed to fill the same general role as the Jeep, Kübelwagen and Land-Rover.

So SHOULD they be hedging bets and adding these type of vehicles to their portfolios?

qwertyfla1 - 7/5/2020 8:10:17 AM

+2 Boost

Yes because nothing is more low key than cruising the hood in your Gwagen when the Antifa thugs start targeting the wealthy...

MDarringer - 7/5/2020 9:42:21 AM

+2 Boost

VW could produce a modern Thing off the Tiguan pretty easily and it would probably sell really well.

Audi has nowhere to go because they have no lineage and it would be named Qwhat? Ditto BMW Xwhat.

Porsche would make it complicated. It would be an EV for the price of a house.

Mercedes needs a Gwagen for half the price--or less--and they need it now.

The Germans will likely sit this one out.

jeffgall - 7/5/2020 9:45:00 AM

+1 Boost

Don’t get sucked into the trap. It’s still a niche segment and flooding it with too many options will produce a lot of low volume losers. Sit this one out.

SuperCarEnthusiast - 7/5/2020 1:26:55 PM

0 Boost

The G Wagon and RRS are the only status luxury SUV left! All the rest are luxury crossovers!

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 7/5/2020 3:11:43 PM

+5 Boost

G-Wagen, X5 and Cayennes are not exactly great examples to hold up for quality in an SUV. As MD said, if you don't have any history or making this sort of vehicle why do it? Let the INEOS guy spend his money on making a copy.

MDarringer - 7/5/2020 3:37:30 PM

+4 Boost

That said, a smart move in the Ford/VW partnership would be to borrow the Bronco, give it the industrial look of the Thing, and replace the dismal Toerag.

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 7/5/2020 7:32:23 PM

+3 Boost

@MD that could be very interesting and on point for the brand.

MDarringer - 7/5/2020 7:46:32 PM

0 Boost

The quality and reliability would skyrocket.

Ccoxx - 7/5/2020 4:29:33 PM

+2 Boost

Yaaaas Hunty, let's snag a G-Wagen to protect us from the less-thans….

MDarringer - 7/5/2020 5:48:51 PM

0 Boost

Nah just run over those criminal less-thans on the freeway. #InstantKarma

ricks0me - 7/5/2020 8:15:30 PM

0 Boost

Autospies bias on full display
As if the question does not apply to Tesla
As if the question does not apply to Hyundai / Kia

TomM - 7/6/2020 5:57:43 AM

+2 Boost

Actually - the leading "vehicles" being sold has not changed Much - the leaders still remain the Full size Pick Up - by Far - and after Pick Ups- now comes crossover Suvs.

Vehicles being sold are less Performance oriented more utility based. After all THe Crossovers are actually Raised Station Wagons. In Europe - the hatchback - a higher utility car is still selling.

What has lost in the mix is cars - which actually have limited Utility compared to the current sellers.

YoCarFanto - 7/6/2020 11:33:28 AM

+2 Boost

Toyota should bring the 70 series. Opinions will be divided, either hate it or love it but it will sell.
Look at the Lexus GX, sales increased 11% compared to last year's Q2.
This is the same 2010 model with a new grill and horrible MPG yet it continues to sell.

MDarringer - 7/6/2020 11:58:56 AM

0 Boost

The GX/Prado's "new for 2010" design was a minor nip/tuck of the previous version of the Prado, so the design is antediluvian.

mre30 - 7/6/2020 3:21:05 PM

0 Boost

Toyota did that already - it was called the FJ Cruiser and it was sort of a disaster. They wanted a legacy Landcruiser but what they ended up with was a bad copy of the Honda Element.