The Hyundai Motor Group’s new chief designer recently let slip that the Korean automaker had “finished” styling its upcoming bakkie (inspired by the Santa Cruz concept). And now a digital artist has released a rendering of what the new pick-up might look like.
Kleber Silva, who is based in São Paulo in Brazil, clearly used the latest Santa Fe as a base for his rendering of the new bakkie (despite early reports suggesting it would be closer related to the Tucson), neatly grafting the SUV’s face onto a pick-up body. Round back, the rendering also pilfers the Santa Fe’s taillamps and diffuser-like insert, while oddly not sporting a proper bakkie-style tailgate.
So, where does its slab-sided rear section and that distinctive C-pillar design come from? Well, we thought it looked a little familiar and eventually worked out Silva used elements of the latest Ssangyong Musso double-cab bakkie in his rendering. Interesting choice.
Take note that the production version of the Santa Cruz concept – which, despite Hyundai saying will be launched “as soon as possible”, is likely to arrive only in 2020 – will feature a unibody rather than ladder-frame construction.
Interestingly, while the original Santa Cruz concept revealed in Detroit in 2015 looked like a two-door, it actually had a second set of small rear-hinged portals affording access to the rear quarters. Silva’s render, meanwhile, looks like a proper double-cab with full-size rear doors (again, courtesy of the Musso).
