With the help of Isuzu is the short answer. According to the statement, Isuzu will be able to “enhance its product competiveness”, with Mazda in turn capable to “strengthen its product line-up and maintain own-brand market coverage”.
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Sports-car maker Mazda is about to hook up with truck specialist Isuzu to make a mega pick-up, due in 2020.
The Mazda BT-50 has been a sales disaster, selling at less than half the rate of the Ford Ranger since the latest models went on sale in 2011, despite initially being identical under the sheet metal.
The surprise deal follows Mazda’s shock split with Ford, with which it has had a partnership for more than 30 years.
Now however the BT-50 is based off the Ford Ranger T6’s platform and is in production at the AutoAlliance Plant in Rayong, Thailand.
The trucks will be sold in all markets except North America.
Isuzu is to build Mazda’s next generation pickup truck on an OEM basis, ending a collaboration with Ford that dates back to the late 1970s.
Timing has yet to be announced, though with the BT-50 and D-Max only five and four years old respectively it may be at least a couple of years before we see the next generation of either model hit showrooms.
Mazda and Isuzu have reached an agreement on next-generation pickup truck collaboration, the automakers said on Monday.
The new agreement reinforces their long-term relationship, they said.
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It is not known how this new agreement affects the partnership between the Isuzu D-Max and Holden Colorado. The aim for the new model would be an improved segment competitiveness for Isuzu while further augmenting Mazda’s product lineup.
