We’ll be the first to admit that BMW took us by surprise with the unveiling of its so-called Dune Taxi. A fast-paced new video posted on Youtube by the company’s Middle East division shows a wild all-electric off-roader with meaty tires and huge ground clearance. With 400 millimeters (15.7 inches) of wheel travel, the quirky electric vehicle displays its go-anywhere capabilities in a promotional film featuring the X6 M Competition and iX M60.
The top-of-the-line electric beast wears the company’s huge new grille, but we’d say the kidneys are – perhaps for the first time ever – in proportion to the body. The Dune Taxi appears to have gullwing doors and a roof scoop, part of the natural fiber reinforced polymer body. Slim LED lights front and rear give the off-roader a futuristic vibe while the stripped-down cabin has a full roll cage and “Cosworth” lettering on the center control console.
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BMW has yet to issue a press release on the Dune Taxi, although it does share some juicy specs in this action-packed video. We know that electric motors deliver a combined 400 kilowatts of power and 1,000 Newton-meters of instantaneous torque, which equates to 536 hp and 738 lb-ft, respectively. The contraption appears to be real even though parts of the clip appear to make heavy use of CGI.
Speaking of blurring the line between what’s real and what’s not, the Dune Taxi performs a slalom maneuver to dodge a bunch of two-wheeled X5 E53s before climbing a 130-degree incline. The video ends with the 2021 Concept XM, which will be released in production form on September 27.
It’s unclear whether the nearly five-minute video is only meant to showcase xDrive and M with a heavy dose of “i” or whether BMW actually wants to race the Dune Taxi. That would give the Audi RS Q E-Tron E2 a run for its money in the Dakar Rally.
