Tag Archives: SUV

NEW CARS

BMW Plots Hardcore Seven-Seat Off-Roader to Take on G-Wagen and Defender

BMW is gearing up to storm the luxury off-road battlefield with an all-new flagship SUV designed to lock horns with the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Land Rover Defender. Known internally as G74, the yet-to-be-named model will be built in Spartanburg, South Carolina, starting in 2029, sharing production lines with the X5, X6, and X7.

Unlike today’s X5 Off-Road Package, the G74 isn’t a lightly tweaked soft-roader—it’s BMW’s first model conceived for serious off-pavement use in nearly a century. A senior BMW executive confirmed development is “well under way,” noting that it’s “more than just discussions” and that an internal combustion engine is a certainty at launch.

Design and Capability: Rugged Meets Neue Klasse

While its design remains under wraps, expect a mix of Neue Klasse design language with classic, blocky 4×4 cues. Engineers are targeting greater ground clearance, long-travel suspension, and approach/departure/breakover angles that surpass anything in BMW’s current lineup.

Inside, the G74 will offer three-row seating for seven and a cabin that outshines the X7 in both materials and tech. It’s expected to carry either a new nameplate or potentially revive the X8 badge originally planned for a coupe-styled SUV.

Under the Skin: CLAR, Evolved for the Wild

Underpinning the G74 will be a heavily modified CLAR platform, chosen for its scalability and compatibility with large BMW SUVs. Mechanical highlights are likely to include long-travel air suspension, up to three locking differentials, advanced AWD, and even four-wheel steering—not only for rock-crawling agility, but also for high-speed stability.

Powertrains: ICE, Hybrid, and Maybe Electric

BMW plans to launch with a combustion engine, but multiple electrification strategies are on the table. Among them:

  • Range-extender hybrid: Using an engine solely as a generator to power electric motors, a setup BMW is developing in collaboration with ZF.
  • Full EV: Potentially rivaling upcoming electric off-roaders like the Rivian R1S, Scout Traveler, and China’s BYD Yangwang U8.
  • Hub motors: Compact in-wheel units co-developed with DeepDrive, which could unlock extreme maneuverability.

The range-extender angle is particularly appealing for markets like China, where demand for such drivetrains is booming—especially after lukewarm sales of the electric G-Class.

A Return to BMW’s Off-Road Roots

The G74’s spiritual predecessor is the BMW 325 military off-roader of 1937–1940. Built on a ladder-frame chassis with 4WD, three locking diffs, and early four-wheel steering, it was a technical showcase for its time. Only 3,225 were built, but its legacy as BMW’s last true go-anywhere machine looms large.

With the G74, BMW isn’t just building another SUV—it’s re-entering a segment dominated by icons, aiming to prove that Munich can do more than autobahn stormers. If they get it right, the G-Class and Defender might finally have some serious Bavarian competition.

Source: Automotive News

NEW CARS

AMG’s Electric SUV Hits the ’Ring – 1,341 hp of Silent Thunder

Affalterbach’s next big thing is here — and it’s massive. Not in size (though it’s hardly a shrinking violet), but in ambition. Earlier this summer, Mercedes-AMG lit the fuse on its all-electric future with the GT XX four-door coupe concept — a bright orange bullet hiding a colossal 1,341 hp (1,360 PS / 1,000 kW) under its skin. Now, the same recipe is being baked into something taller, meaner, and arguably more market-friendly: an SUV.

And if you’re wondering how seriously AMG is taking it — the prototype is already tearing up the Nürburgring.

Spy Game on the Green Hell

Our spy shooters caught the camouflaged two-row EV pounding the 12.9 miles (20.8 km) of Germany’s most unforgiving asphalt. AMG’s engineers were in full stealth mode, sometimes sneaking in and out through obscure access points along the track — either to dodge lenses or to keep unflattering lap times from leaking. But this time, there was no hiding; the prototype took every one of the ’Ring’s dozens of bends head-on.

The shape? Less blocky SUV, more steroid-fed crossover — think Lamborghini Urus or Ferrari Purosangue rather than a Bentayga or Cullinan. It rides low, with flush door handles, frameless glass, and an air-suspended stance that drivers will be able to raise or drop at will.

Under the Skin: Shared DNA with the GT XX

You won’t see the final face yet — AMG’s keeping the front-end design under wraps — but don’t expect it to look like your neighbour’s electric GLC. The GT XX sedan concept reimagined AMG’s Panamericana grille with a glowing outer frame and unlit vertical bars, and there’s a good chance this SUV will borrow that signature.

Beneath the bodywork, the SUV shares the AMG.EA platform with the XX, as well as Yasa’s cutting-edge axial flux motor technology. Powertrain specs remain locked in AMG’s vault, but the smart money says there will be two- and three-motor variants. The top dog? Almost certainly the full 1,341 hp hit from the XX.

For context, that’s nearly double the output of Ferrari’s Purosangue and its 6.5-litre V12. Sure, the AMG won’t have the Maranello howl, but it won’t be a whisper, either. AMG is developing a synthesised soundtrack — potentially replicating the rumble of a V8 — and simulated gearshifts to make the experience more visceral.

Launch Date and the Bigger Picture

We’ll see the finished product in 2027, one year after the sedan version lands. And make no mistake — this isn’t just an SUV with a big battery. It’s AMG declaring war in the hyper-SUV segment, fusing EV tech with the kind of drama that petrolheads assumed would vanish in the electric age.

The only question is whether the world is ready for a 2.5-tonne missile that can outgun almost anything on the road, yet creep silently past your local café.

Source: Mercedes-AMG; Photo: SHProshots

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Porsche’s Next SUV Is All Gas—Here’s What We Know

Porsche may have bid farewell to the original Macan in Europe, but the brand isn’t quite done with internal combustion just yet. In a notable shift from its recent EV-forward strategy, the German automaker has confirmed that a brand-new gasoline-powered SUV is in the works, with a launch targeted for 2028.

A Forced Farewell to the First-Gen Macan

The discontinuation of the original Macan in Europe wasn’t a voluntary move. Stricter EU regulations—specifically the second phase of the General Safety Regulation (GSR2) that took effect in July 2024—meant the aging crossover no longer met compliance standards. Despite its enduring popularity, especially in Europe, Porsche was compelled to end sales across the continent. For now, the original Macan continues to be available in other global markets, but its production run is set to conclude in 2026.

The Macan name, however, isn’t going away entirely. It will live on exclusively as an electric model, with Porsche positioning the next-generation Macan EV as a cornerstone of its emissions-free future.

A New Player in the Same Segment

During the H1 2025 earnings call, Porsche CEO Oliver Blume confirmed that a new combustion-engine SUV will arrive by 2028. The yet-unnamed model will be sized similarly to the Macan but offer a distinct identity, both from the original Macan and the upcoming electric version.

Blume described the upcoming vehicle as a “very, very typical Porsche for this segment,” hinting at a driving character and design DNA that aligns closely with brand expectations, despite shifting market conditions. Importantly, this vehicle won’t just be a holdover for ICE fans—it’s being developed with urgency. Porsche is expediting development timelines in a bid to bring it to market quickly.

Platform Sharing with Audi: A Logical Shortcut

Although no technical specs have been confirmed, it’s widely expected that the new SUV will ride on the Volkswagen Group’s Premium Platform Combustion (PPC)—the same architecture underpinning the latest Audi Q5. This strategic alignment would echo Porsche’s earlier playbook; after all, the outgoing Macan shares its MLB platform with the previous-generation Q5.

The PPC architecture supports a range of powertrains, including four-cylinder gasoline engines, plug-in hybrids, and a potent V6 mild-hybrid found in the SQ5. While it’s uncertain if Porsche will mirror the Audi lineup directly, a diesel variant is almost certainly off the table. Porsche exited the diesel segment in 2018 in the wake of the Dieselgate scandal and has shown no signs of reversing that decision.

EV Reality Check

What makes this new ICE crossover especially interesting is the context in which it’s being developed. Initially, Porsche had no plans to offer a new combustion SUV. The electric Macan was expected to fill the void, anchoring the brand’s electric SUV portfolio alongside the Taycan and the upcoming electric Cayenne.

But EV adoption has been slower than Porsche projected. Consumer hesitation, infrastructure limitations, and rising development costs have all contributed to a recalibration of Zuffenhausen’s strategy. The company is now allocating part of its “significant additional expenditures” to gasoline and hybrid development—an admission that the EV-only play may have been premature.

What Comes Next?

While design details are still under wraps, Blume promised a “characteristic Porsche profile” for the new SUV. Its name remains a mystery, but one thing is certain: it won’t wear the Macan badge. That moniker is being reserved for Porsche’s electric SUV moving forward.

With a release date penciled in for 2028 and early development just now underway, we can expect to see camouflaged prototypes hitting the road in the coming year or two. Until then, enthusiasts can take comfort in knowing that Porsche’s combustion legacy isn’t over—it’s simply evolving.

Source: Porsche