BMW reportedly puts its upcoming G-Class, Defender rival on ice

BMW’s luxury off-roader project, codenamed G74, has reportedly failed to receive final internal approval and is on hold due to changing global market conditions. The rugged luxury SUV was purported to be BMW’s rival to the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Land Rover Defender, but it’s now uncertain whether it will ever reach production.

Market pressures prompt BMW to re-evaluate product portfolio

According to recent media reports, one of the reasons behind the G74 project’s halt is concern over the size of the luxury off-roader segment relative to the investment required to develop a dedicated model. BMW is also adopting a more disciplined approach to its model portfolio in light of increasing competition in markets like China, as well as tariffs, trade barriers, currency fluctuations, tightening emissions regulations in Europe and broader geopolitical uncertainty.

Speaking after the company’s second-quarter financial results, CEO Milan Nedeljkovic said BMW is re-evaluating which technologies, model variants and powertrains it will need in the coming years instead of assuming existing development programmes remain viable. “In all these areas, we are taking significant steps and increasing the pace. For example, we are once again reviewing which technologies, model variants and drivetrains we will need in the future. In addition, we are looking at where new partnerships could make economic and technological sense,” he noted.

Nedeljkovic highlighted the rapid deterioration of market conditions in China as a key concern for the portfolio review. He said Chinese manufacturers are increasingly expanding into Europe, Latin America and other global markets, creating additional competitive pressure. Although Nedeljkovic did not mention the G74 directly, insiders claim the off-road SUV has already become one of the first casualties of BMW’s ongoing product review.

The G74 was reportedly targeting a 2029 launch, and sources say BMW can still approve or cancel projects up to around 18 months before production begins. BMW has not officially confirmed the cancellation of the G74 yet, and since the project is currently on hold rather than permanently scrapped, there remains scope for it to return if market conditions improve.

Everything we know about the BMW G74 off-road SUV

While BMW never officially confirmed the existence of the G74 project, reports over the past few years suggested the carmaker was developing a purpose-built off-road SUV to rival the G-Class and Defender. In reference to the luxury off-roader segment, a senior BMW manager told Autocar UK in 2025: “We’re aware of the market potential [of such a vehicle]. It’s more than just discussions. We have been planning this for a while. It will definitely need an internal combustion engine.” Earlier this year, BMW M boss Frank van Meel even added to the speculation by stating he ‘wouldn’t say no’ to an off-road SUV fettled by the performance division.

The G74 project was expected to be underpinned by a heavily modified derivative of the existing CLAR platform, which also underpins the fifth-gen BMW X5. This would have allowed the G74 to be offered with multiple powertrain options, including plug-in hybrid and fully electric, and the SUV’s production was reportedly planned for BMW’s Spartanburg plant in South Carolina.

Reports suggest the BMW G74 was designed with a 7-seat layout in mind, while the exterior featured a rugged iteration of the Neue Klasse design language and a boot lid-mounted spare wheel. The SUV was even mooted to be christened the X8 and serve as a spiritual successor to the BMW XM, which is expected to be discontinued in 2028.