PARIS, Sept 4 — The Renault Alaskan concept announces the French carmaker’s arrival in one of the biggest and most competitive motoring markets in the world.
With over 5 million sold globally every year, the pickup truck accounts for over one third of all light commercial vehicles on the road at any one time.
Yet, unlike a van or light truck it has the iconic status of being the vehicle that built the US, and the car that gave the country its pioneering, can-do spirit.
It’s not for nothing that for the past 33 years, the three biggest-selling cars in North America have been pickup trucks.
And while Ford and Chevrolet currently dominate this segment, Renault believes that like Mercedes-Benz (who recently announced its pickup ambitions) it too can bring a little European elegance to the table in the form of the Alaskan concept, unveiled officially in Paris yesterday.
Aimed equally at business users, pleasure seekers and families that need the vehicular equivalent of a Swiss Army knife to meet all of their motoring needs, the vehicle has had to be designed in a way that won’t focus too much on one market without alienating another.
“The styling of the Alaskan Concept sticks to the rules of the pick-up segment, including impressive dimensions and a visual sense of power and robustness. At the same time, we have dialed in specific Renault cues in the form of an attractive, status-enhancing front-end design,” said Laurens van den Acker, senior vice-president of corporate design.
What that means in layman’s terms is that it has the stance and strength required for being a loadlugger but the car’s lines and finishes have been softened sufficiently so that it looks like it truly belongs when parked in a suburban driveway among crossovers and compact executive sedans.
This sense of belonging continues inside where comfort and convenience are priorities.
Premium Swedish camera makers Hasselblad partnered on the concept to ensure that it could meet the needs of leisure users and the company’s influence can be seen in elements such as integrated cameras in the wing mirrors set up for capturing landscapes and creating on the fly road movies.
And although a concept, Renault says that the production version, due early next year will look very similar and will be powered initially by a twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine that will offer a winning combination of acceleration and power alongside class-leading fuel economy. — AFP-Relaxnews
