'It's time to think about it': Mazda hints at pickup truck's return to US

Mazda management is thinking about creating a new pickup truck for the US market. The appearance of such a model allowed the head of the company Masahiro Moro in an interview with Car and Driver.

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Mazda has already sold a pickup truck in the US, but that was a long time ago - the B-Series model left the market in 2009. It was essentially a Ford Ranger with a different emblem and front end design. Now, however, amid Mazda's growing success in North America, the company is thinking about a pickup truck again.

Moro told reporters that now is "the right time to think about the future of the portfolio." He added that Mazda doesn't have its own platform for a pickup truck, but there are opportunities to collaborate with other automakers.

This announcement is particularly interesting against the backdrop of Mazda's existing co-operation with Isuzu, which resulted in the BT-50 pickup truck. This model is based on the Isuzu D-Max and is produced in Thailand for export markets including Australia. The BT-50 is available with three cab types, rear or all-wheel drive, and is currently in its third generation (from 2020).

However, that's not enough for the US market - Mazda will need more than just a rebranding. The Isuzu D-Max is not sold in the US, hence will have to adapt the model to local norms and preferences.

Interestingly, Moro also mentioned the possible future of Mazda's rotary engine. It was previously thought that such a unit would return in a sports car, but it could also find use in a pickup truck - which would be a tribute to history. Mazda already produced B-Series compact pickups in the 1960s and 70s, and at the time it was Ford that used the Mazda as the basis for its truck.

There are no official plans yet, but Mazda's interest in the segment is obvious - especially on the back of the success of the Ford Maverick. Perhaps the brand will still return to pickups in the US in the coming years.

Source: Caranddriver