Automotive Forums

It always struck me odd the Germans haven't released any trucks in the U.S. They have SUVs. What's to stop them from reverse-engineer one of those expensive monsters and get a truck? BMW could build them in their Spartanburg plants.  

They know that Americans make the best trucks.  

We might make the best trucks, but we sure make you pay out the wazu for 'em too.  I bet a lot of foreign automakers will get into the truck market if they can keep the price down.  

bubbahotep:
We might make the best trucks, but we sure make you pay out the wazu for 'em too.  I bet a lot of foreign automakers will get into the truck market if they can keep the price down.

True, but an inexpensive German vehicle? Wouldn't that affect their rep?

And I have to wonder about the quality. German vehicles have been iffy at best. It's taken them a while for their SUVs, for examples, to even score a "Recommended" on Consumer Reports.  

If a Germain truck came out, I wonder who it would be marketed to and who would it compete with, Cadillac and Lincoln I suppose...meaning it would be in the high 40's for a base model..  

bubbahotep:
If a Germain truck came out, I wonder who it would be marketed to and who would it compete with, Cadillac and Lincoln I suppose...meaning it would be in the high 40's for a base model..

Good question. They could go two ways. Sell few high-priced models to maximize profit per model sold or sell a slew of less expensive ones to compete against the benchmarks like the Ford F-150.

I think they'd problem go for the former. It would not not only be in keeping with their rep (well, except for Volkswagen), but truck owners are notoriously loyal to their brands. Just ask Toyota  

Trucks are meant for abuses, at relatively affordable prices.  Characteristics which would tarnish the reputations of the German car companies.  Personally, I could never imagine witnessing a truck bearing the prestigeous BMW logo hauling around lumber.  Aside from this, the successful truck making companies, in order to make a profit, sell these workhorses in attainable price ranges, $18,000-$28,000 for the most popular full-size trucks like the F-150.  BMW will not introduce the 1-Series in America below $25,000 so can you imagine a beefy truck with a credible BMW/Mercedes-Benz/VW V8 in the low to mid 20's?  I for one cannot.  As for competing with Cadillac's EXT or Lincoln's Mark LT, I don't see this happening either.  BMW, especially, prides itself on building vehicles that are meant for a purpose or function first.  Frankly, if BMW were to compete with the EXT and Mark LT, this philosophy would be thrown out the window.  

Germans build trucks, they don't build pickup trucks but they make trucks don't they?  

They make a f-load of them.
They just don't sell them here.  

volkswagen used to build a pickup truck

http://www.nwmotorsportsexpo.com/images/coolrides/RaceTruck05caddell.jpg  

"True, but an inexpensive German vehicle? Wouldn't that affect their rep?"
Volkswagen is German too!  

I guess you can say America makes the best trucks considering the fact that we have the only consumers that actually think its a good idea to purchase a gas hog for a daily driver. Why do people who dont need trucks by them in the first place? i hate blvd. queens if you need a truck for work or play I understand but dont buy a 2wd f-350 with a v-10 and lift it to the moon. Its stuff like that that makes trucks look tacky and keep other automakers from producing them. Keep in mind the new dodge trucks are all german designed, and time has shown american car companies can't design their way out of a paper bag.  

Not anymore....

http://tinyurl.com/y5wf65