Posted date: 7:16 PM / comment : 0

Renault goes Alaskan with pickup truck concept

Renault isn't wasting time working its way into the pickup truck market. A few months after showing its first pickup truck, it's previewing a 1-tonne global pickup that it will launch in the first half of next year. The sporty Alaskan concept is ready for work, recreation and everyday driving.

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The forthcoming production truck won't look exactly like the Alaskan concept, which has that raw concept car glow to it – as Renault calls it, "a head turner". Like what happened when the 2014 Duster Oroch concept moved to production, next year's Alaskan-based production truck is sure to change into a more conservative set of clothes, likely losing its conceptual front-end design, centrally mounted exhaust, and blue and yellow highlights.

What Renualt says will carry over to production is the concept's dimensions. Much like the Duster Oroch – both the concept and production truck – the Alaskan has a curvy, swept back shape, an alternative to the square, boxy pickup standard of other markets. It also brings a new set of strongly defined wheel arches to the styling table.

“The styling of the Alaskan Concept sticks to the rules of the pickup segment, including impressive dimensions and a visual sense of power and robustness," explains Laurens van den Acker, senior vice president of corporate design. "At the same time, we have dialed in specific Renault cues in the form of an attractive, status-enhancing front-end design."

Paul takes advantage of the Alaskan's bed and tie-down tracks and side cargo boxes when on photography gigs and when adventuring with his mountain bike, camping gear or skis. When relaxing around town with his friends, Paul is happy to have a five-passenger cab and a stylish pickup that feels as comfortable at the valet parking stop as it does in a foot of mud. Or something like that.

We're not so sure Renault needed the whole Paul the Photographer yarn to illustrate the straightforward concept of a work/play/commuting truck, but there is at least one concrete fruit from the Renault-Hasselblad partnership. Mounted within its side mirror housing, the Alaskan carries a camera meant to capture continuous footage of the passing landscape. This feature is similar to the action cams that were integrated into the 2014 Duster Oroch concept. We'll assume Paul is going to take a few road trips down scenic, empty roads and not just spend his time stuck in highway traffic.