Mazda Motor Corporation has released a teaser image of the forthcoming all-new replacement for the BT-50 light commercial pick-up which is being developed in a co-operation with Isuzu Ute.
Mazda says the all-new Ute will be unveiled to markets on June 17.
It says full details of the all-new light commercial for the Australasian markets will be provided on that day.
The unveiling of the all-new BT-50 replacement vehicle will mark the end of the Ford and Mazda Ute collaboration which spawned the current Ranger and BT-50.
At the Australian launch of the 2017 Isuzu Ute MU-X SUV, Go Auto reported Isuzu Motors International Operations president Yoichi Masuda told assembled media in regard to the forthcoming new D-Max and BT-50 replacement that “Isuzu will do everything.”
Masuda said the joint-venture contract between the two Japanese manufacturers did not constitute a co-development agreement for a new pickup, as Mazda did with Ford for the current BT-50.
The joint venture between Isuzu and Mazda is only based on supply,” Masuda said.
“We will provide our own design pick-up to Mazda. That is really as simple as the relationship is with Mazda,” he said.
According to Go Auto at the Los Angeles Motor Show in November 2016 Mazda’s R& D boss Kiyoshi Fujiwara told the media that the sales volume of the BT-50 wasn’t large enough for the company to develop a new pickup by itself.
