GS69

Mazda Shows Off New BT-50 PickUp in Australia

Now that the global Ford Ranger has received its debut, Mazda has taken the time to show off its take on the mid-sized pickup at the Australian International Motor Show. The Japanese automaker calls its version the BT-50, and it wears plenty of the company's Nagare design language. Along with the swept nose and headlights, Mazda has thrown in similarly fluid taillights out back that remind us of the units on the CX-9 crossover. Mazda says that the company was going for a "sophisticated beast" look. We've certainly heard stranger marketing claims, but it the image of sasquatch in a suit does make us chuckle.

And what, pray tell, is under that shapely hood? Mazda isn't saying at the moment, but we'd be surprised if the company didn't plan to share power plants with the 2011 Ranger. If that's the case, buyers can expect to choose between a thrifty 2.2-liter turbo-diesel 4-cylinder with 150 horsepower and 276 pound-feet of torque and larger displacement diesel and gasoline options backed by 6-speed gearboxes.

Sadly, it looks like you can forget about seeing the BT-50 in the States. Just like the Ranger, this pickup won't be gracing our shores in any official capacity.

Koma

iTrader: (3)

If I was buying a truck I would not want some smiling truck like this.

I'd want something that looks rugged. I can't take this truck seriously.

knihc2008

iTrader: (1)

Both the new Ranger and this truck looks better than any compact truck for sale here right now

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

There have been a few times where I wonder why Ford, GM, Toyota, etc. don't make their trucks a little more car-like in appearance (i.e. smoother, more curves) and now I certainly know why. That front and rear end is horrible.

Interior looks quite nice.

TRDFantasy

Now they put the happy face on a truck?

That is absolutely terrible .

I continue to hope that Mazda sales will fall off a cliff so they can abandon this ridiculous happy face styling theme.

LexFather

Interior is very well done.
Exterior is horrific, particularly the front end. It looks like the front belongs on a Full Size Rig and not that truck.

Altezzas, really?

mmarshall

Ford and Mazda need to come up with a good explanation why not. The excuse for Ford not offering the new Ranger here is declining sales of small/mid-sized trucks and the competition the Ranger got from the larger, full-size Ford F-series. Yet the Mazda B-series trucks never had any competition from larger Mazda trucks (because Mazda, unlike the Ford F-series, never offered any). And the mid-size Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon and Dodge Dakota trucks still plug on, despite both of them having having competition from full-size Chevy/GMC and Dodge trucks....not to mention the smaller Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, Mitsubishi Raider (though the Raider may soon be discontinued), and Suzuki Equator. The Equator, for example, is still on the market, even though it sells next to nothing.