Pickup tricks

Whatever happened to those humble builders' pickups?

Carpets, alloy wheels and flash paintwork have turned them into 'lifestyle statements'. JEREMY TAYLOR reports

WHICH section of the new car market registered a massive sales increase of 117 per cent in 1998 and looks set to have risen further when figures for the past year are released? The humble builders' pickup is the surprising answer.

However, the models creating most interest are not laden with shovels and cement mixers. It is the "posh" pickup that has sparked the mini boom.

The latest target customer for manufacturers is usually quite active, has use of another car and is likely to lavish love and money on a horse-riding daughter, or a brace of jet skis moored in the garage. Pickup trucks are in vogue. The traditional builders' workhorse is being kitted out with smart interiors, alloy wheels and flashy paint jobs to make it the "lifestyle" vehicle of the new millennium.

It's unlikely any self-respecting builder would kick the mud off his boots for luxury carpet and seat upholstery - but sporty private buyers can certainly see the advantages.

Rob Holloway, of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, has been monitoring the market for some time. "New pickups are nothing like a builder would use - they are far too luxurious. People who enjoy sports and an active lifestyle can now have all the benefits of a fairly smart car with a huge amount of space in the back.

"The current emphasis on lifestyle - hobbies like gardening, horse- riding or skiing - has certainly helped. The pickup is a rugged, car- like alternative to a traditional 4x4," he says.

Mr Holloway points out that you can fit six people in a people carrier but imagine the difficulties of squeezing two muddy motorbikes in instead. "It doesn't matter if you get the flatbed of a pickup dirty and, because the carrying space is open, you can accommodate odd-shaped loads."

Haulage contractor Paul Mul-lens, from Chislehurst in Kent, runs a small fleet of lorries. However, woe betide anyone who gets dirt on the seats of his 20,000 Mitsubishi pickup.

He and his wife also run a BMW convertible but the Mitsubishi Double Cab is treated like the family car.

"It's got side-steps, chrome wheels and five seats - I do worry about getting the seats mucky and I wash and wax it too. It is incredibly practical and just as comfortable as a car. I get so many people who stop me and want to talk about the pickup I sometimes have to make a polite excuse and leave."

Toyota and Mitsubishi have been slugging it out to be prince of the pickups for years. The latest trend has just fuelled the fire. However, Mitsubishi claims to have triggered a new lifestyle sector in the British car market with the introduction of the L200 "4 Life" Double Cab 18 months ago.

A company spokeswoman says: "Unlike a traditional 4x4, you can load up a pickup without having to worry about getting the seats dirty or messing up the carpets. There are also plenty of accessories to make the vehicle suit your needs, whether you carry bikes or bricks. Double cabs mean you are not restricted to just two passengers either."

Meanwhile, Toyota is keen to point out that 50,000 Hilux cabs have been sold since it was introduced in the early Seventies - satisfied customers include the Environment Agency, Tarmac and the Coastguard service. That said, the latest evolu-

tion of the Hilux has little to do with being a working pickup. The GX versions feature tinted glass, chrome exterior fittings and some rather plush carpet.

Both of these manufacturers are now casting a wary eye towards a whole new batch of pickups gathering on the horizon.

The Nissan Navara was unveiled at the Motor Show in October. It is already on sale in Europe and the company is gauging public reaction here before announcing a UK launch date. Product affairs manager Andrew Roberts says the chrome and alloy wheels of the Navara are aimed squarely at the lifestyle sector. "It's difficult to ignore the growth of this market - Mitsubishi and Toyota have shown there are plenty of buyers. The Navara is based on the commercial success of our Double Cab and combines the comfort and specification of a passenger car with the load-carrying capability of a 4x4."

There are also other offerings from the likes of Vauxhall, Mazda and even Skoda, which has a budget, eye-catching pickup called the Fun, complete with yellow paintwork and matching leather interior.

Ford also returned to the British pickup market this year with the Ranger.

Chairman and managing director Ian McAllister couldn't conceal his excitement when the vehicle was launched back in June. "We believe the Ford Ranger will give new impetus to the whole pickup segment and it has the potential to bring many customers to Ford."

In America, the Ford F-Series pickup is legendary and there are no social taboos involved in driving one. Developments there have seen a new breed of "super pickups", like Ford's supercharged Lightning which can reach 60mph in less than six seconds.

Londoner Simon Sproule is currently PR manager for Ford's Truck Centre in Detroit. He says: "The pickup truck is something that fits well the American personality - a modern interpretation of a horse- drawn wagon with the room to pack up your life and move to a new area.

Americans don't like to compromise and a pickup enables them the flexibility to carry people and a lot of stuff.

"The pickup market in the UK is still small compared to the United States.

However, with new products coming onto the market you could soon see more pickups at the golf club than in the builders' yard," he says.

HOW TO RECLAIM 3,000

SINCE the end of last year, pickups with a payload of more than 1,000kg have been VAT exempt - providing another good reason to look seriously at a cab.

This could mean owners of VAT-registered businesses can reclaim around 3,000 on a pickup and they may also be able to avoid Company Car Tax .

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