Renault Alaskan
Renault Australia may have already
decided to bring in the Renault Alaskan, which the brand has confirmed will be
globally launched in 2016, as its regional boss rates the pickup segment as “a
key segment in Australia and one we want to break into”.
The Alaskan concept, a restyled Nissan
Navara, was presented late last year, previewing a one tonne “work hard, play
hard all-road vehicle designed to meet the requirements of three different
worlds: business and leisure use, plus everyday motoring.”
It's not to expect an
immediate launch after the global unveiling, but Australia won’t be very far
from the priority markets as over 130,000 4×4 pickups were sold in the
continent in 2015.
The design of the Renault Alaskan borrows
cues from the Renault Talisman and Renault Kadjar, featuring a V-shaped grille,
sleek headlamps with C-shaped LED DRLs, and a simple lower fascia. An alleged
leak of the production model that came up last year showed Renault retaining
most of the concept’s features.
The Renault Alaskan, as with Mercedes’
first pickup, will borrow the chassis and some body parts from the Nissan
Navara. Under the hood, the Alaskan could employ Energy dCi 165 and Energy dCi
190 four-cylinder, longitudinally-mounted twin-turbodiesel engines from the
Renault Master LCV range.
This isn’t Renault’s first-ever pick up
truck though. That distinction goes to the Renault Duster Oroch, which is
exclusive to Latin America. The Renault Alaskan however will target markets
across the globe, and rival the Mitsubishi L200/Triton, Toyota Hilux, Isuzu
D-Max and the Ford Ranger.
