BMW prepares a rival for the iconic G Wagen

BMW plans to expand its catalog with a new rugged SUV that will rival the iconic Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen, which will begin production at the South Carolina plant in the second half of 2029, according to a report by AutoNews.

The new SUV, internally identified by the code G74, will be based on a variant of the platform currently used to produce the BMW X5, revealed one of the sources cited in the report.

With the launch of this SUV, BMW aims to compete in a niche market for large off-road SUVs currently dominated by Mercedes-Benz and Land Rover.

While the Bavarian automaker faces an uphill battle in this mission, the incentive to do so is very clear. According to Edmunds, each model in the G Class range currently sells in the United States for an average of over US$208,000.