The chap in the video I posted in the ‘wrong engine thread’ suspects they may have sales and support agreements with BMW, citing the engine connection and the fact that BMW doesn’t have any full on 4x4’s to give a conflict of interests.
If that came to pass - I wonder if it may be done as the mini is - as a kind of affiliated product sold out of a different showroom.
I did wonder about Mercedes early on - but that was before I realised that MB and Steyr work with lots of brands besides Mercedes, and before they had picked the BMW engine.