Hot on the heels of the all-new Ford Ranger, comes the Mazda half of the twin utes—the BT-50 pickup. The BT-50 was also revealed at the Australian International Motor Show. Billed as an “active lifestyle vehicle,” the BT-50 sports the corporate Joker face on top of the Ranger’s brawny new body. The rear features curious wraparound taillights that seemed to have been plucked from the Mazda6. Chief designer Ryo Yanagisawa says that the styling proclaims “I am the proud king of the beasts!”
The promise of passenger-car like characteristics seems to be strongest in the interior, which looks as driver-centric as the best of Mazda’s sedans. The center console looks nothing like the utilitarian designs that are currently the pickup and pickup-based SUV norm.
As with the Ranger, the emphasis for the new model was to provide a larger and more comfortable passenger cabin. Ford/Mazda surmises that more pickups, particularly in Asean, will be for mixed use: family and leisure as well as heavy hauling. Mazda promises passenger-car comfort and sporty handling.
The BT-50 is slated to be assembled in Thailand alongside the new Ranger. The question is, will it make to the Philippines? Given the less than warm reception that the current BT-50 is getting, we are guessing: no.
In a related development, Mazda has issued a statement denying that Ford Motor Company will reduce or sell off its stake in the Japanese automaker:
“Today’s news report about a change in the capital tie-up between Ford and Mazda was the result of speculation by the journalist. Mazda and Ford continue to enjoy a close strategic partnership and there is no change to this relationship. As before, we continue to cooperate in areas of mutual benefit. We do not comment on speculation.”
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