We Know Pickups Are Popular. But Does The World Really WANT Or NEED A Land Rover Or Volvo Pickup?

Even BEFORE the pandemic we were calling a panic in the car market and potential consolidations in the business.

As well as virtually every company reviewing the products they currently offer and ones that could sell IF they made them.

In one case we even recommended that BMW and Audi consider building a legitimate G-Class and Land Rover competitor.

Seems like a ripe opportunity seeing the G-Class sells so well, even today. And although it's made like a tank, has the greatest door close sound in the history of vehicles, has a gorgeous rich interior, it's not exactly a gem as a daily driver. It's made 1000x better than a Wrangler but I assure you, the Jeep has better drive dynamics and I'd rather be driving that if it's JUST about the drive.

But these 'media proclaimed' auto exec geniuses look at the pickup market and start having visions of grandeur.

I can imagine a few looking at Gladiator saying "Hey, wouldn't one of our Volvo's make a GREAT pickup?" Or, "A Land Rover Pickup? It's a natural!"

So AutoCar is actually reporting both of those companies have them in consideration.

So what do YOU think? Do they make sense or are they dead on arrival?

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MDarringer - 4/6/2020 9:34:57 PM

0 Boost

Land Rover NOT having a pickup is the confounding thing. Building off the Defender isn't the right move. The right move would be to team with Toyota, Ford, or GM and base their pickup on a mainstream pickup with potentially that manufacturer making it for them in the USA.

TomM - 4/7/2020 7:49:51 AM

+2 Boost

One must remember that Huge Full size Pick Up trucks are essential a North American Phenomenon. In the rest of the world - it is the step down from that pick ups that sell. In order to address their customers - a mid-size pick up would be logical for these to to make for Worldwide distribution - if they really wanted one - I am not on that bandwagon.

Now - for OUR market - it might seem that rebadging an FCA(Probably possible) or Ford or GM (Highly unlikely) pick up would be more logical. However - the FCA does not approach the quality needed - and it is unlikely that Ford or GM would want to compete with their own product at the high end of the market - where they make most of their money.

IN addition, today's buyers are not likely to be swayed by Aging European Names that have their own quality problems - to pay more for a truck they can get cheaper at the local GM dealer. Current economic conditions make that a poor choice - and It will be at least 3 years before they can recover enough.

I note - GM has just again overtaken Ford in the Production of Pick Ups again although the Ford BRAND still is dominant - GM with two high volume brands combined has higher market share.

Section_31_JTK - 4/7/2020 4:10:12 PM

0 Boost

Americans really don't want a compact pickup other than as for an image vehicle. You're not throwing a sheet of plywood in the back of a Land Rover or Mercedes pickup, nor are you towing a big heavy trailer.