UTE in the US

[ADVAW8S]

What do people think is the likelihood that the pick up makes the US? Maybe shipped without a bed to avoid chicken tax and then a bed installed at BMW location?   You could choose a flat tray or traditional style bed.  

 

[Stu_Barnes]

The idea is great but I think they would be really hard pushed to offer that in the US market. Theres too much of a stranglehold by domestic manufacturers and the government assistance with chicken tax, not to mention that the Grenadier is very small compared to the size of the 'standard' pickup in the us now. I think it would fall into subcompact, its about the size of the Ford Maveric I think. 

 

[ADVAW8S]

I know, I know.  I just find the pick-up fascinating.   We don't own a pick up in our line up of cars and this would fit in perfectly.   

 

[SteveGren]

As an American/Australian I find the whole ute thing interesting.

Utes were everywhere when I was a kid in Australia, but they are nowhere here in the US now.  I'm not sure what the cause is...is it because the Chicken Tax made them too expensive to import?  Or did they just fall out of favor?

Were utes ever popular in the US?  Like prior to the F150?

 

[Stu_Barnes]

The el camino was pretty popular in the day, but it's been out of production for ages. Its all just pickup trucks now I think. 

 

[ChasingOurTrunks]

A great example of a possible style of build with the Gren pickup:

https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/alucab-defender-130-expedition-camper-78k.228948/

This likely won't work on the other mid-sized Utes in North America due to payload restrictions.