Apparently inspired by the success of the Ford Maverick, Volkswagen decided to enter the light passenger pickup niche, too. Its first model there will be known as the Tukan, and will go into production in Brazil this summer based on the automaker’s MQB unibody platform.
The first official images reveal what looks like a typical compact pickup. It has smallish wheels, a honeycomb grille and modern body proportions – nothing really special to point out. The camo wrap wears the colors of Brazil and is adorned with soccer motifs, which isn’t surprising because Volkswagen is an official sponsor of the country’s national soccer team.
All technical specifications will have to wait until the premiere. The local media speculate that the base version of the Tukan will ship with a 1.0-liter turbo engine and all higher versions will ship with a 1.5-liter turbo. Manual and automatic will likely both be available, but the drive will probably stay glued to the front axle with no option for AWD.
On a side note, things seem to be looking up for the South American light pickup market. Along with Volkswagen, Renault is preparing its own truck called the Niagara for this region. It’s set to debut in early September.