I have to admit to being a little surprised at how much interest a new pickup truck attracted on just-auto this week. OK, a new segment for the automaker, Fiat, a little ingenuity in the barn-door, flexible configuration tailgate but, initially, only for South America. Perhaps the fact the name Chrysler is also appended to the word Fiat these days? And, given that South America is from where VW lobs the Amarok to the world, and the Renault-Nissan-Mercedes-anyone else want a rebadged LCV-alliance is working on several variations of the Japanese partner’s Navara/Frontier truck for the globe, with some production in Argentina, I’d not be suprised to see this new Toro on sale, also in RHD, pretty much worldwide at some point. Fiat Brazil has exported light commercials widely before, including neatly packaged van and pick-up versions of the Uno it kept in production for decades.
Once solely a tradesman’s tool, the one-tonne pickup has grown in size over the decades (I remember the early Mazda, Datsun and Toyota models in which larger westerners had trouble fitting), body style choice (four door double cabs a smash hit) and can be ordered with a wide variety of powertrains and car-like trim and equipment. Renault noted last year it sells LCVs in 112 countries, with the top markets outside Europe being Brazil, Argentina, Turkey, Morocco and Algeria so it’s likely Fiat, which has a good van range already, would like a bit of that truck action its rivals already have or are planning. As, I suspect, would Chrysler sales units, particularly in markets outside North America where the ability to offer buyers the ability to hump people and a tonne or so of stuff in something taking up less space than the giant American pickups, might go down well. It’ll help that the Toro looks nice, too, and shares bits (and Brazilian assembly plant) with the Jeep Renegade.
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Another new product item drawing eyeballs this week: BMW’s new (shock) ‘foreign made’ Mini convertible, now sourced from the new contract assembly plant in Holland. That also looks nice. In a country where sunshine is a novelty, I’m always surprised at the number of convertibles I see about and this one’s sure to be as popular, worldwide, as its predecessors.
One automaker not going ‘foreign’ for assembly is Aston Martin which, this week, finally announced the principality of (drum roll) Wales as location for its second manufacturing plant which will produce a crossover based on the DBX ‘concept’. The company had been eyeing sites around the world and there had been speculation that it would choose a site in the US. It is anticipated that up to 1,000 new jobs will be created across St Athan and the current Gaydon, Warwickshire HQ between now and 2020. Across the supply chain and local businesses, a further 3,000 jobs will likely be created as a direct result of these investments. Sure, there was the clink of taxpayers’ gold coin under Aston Martin’s nose – most assembly plants get built with local or national government incentives these days – but we’ve dug around and learned that supplier proximity and local skill availability also helped swing the deal. So, another plant for the UK auto industry, more potential custom for said suppliers, and the news has gone down a treat locally.
Finally, with Geneva press days next week (children and engineers also admitted, if past experience is any guide), might I remind you of our world famous launch lists. These really are world debut models, not just a 2016 update with a new grille.
Have a nice weekend.
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By GlobalDataGraeme Roberts, Deputy Editor, just-auto.com
