A Mazda executive has confirmed that the next-generation version of the Japanese brand’s BT-50 bakkie will be more assertive in its styling and lose its so-called “smile”.
“We gave up the smile; it won’t be coming back,” Julien Montousse, Mazda North America design director, told motoring.com.au.
“We want front face vehicles that are more assertive and therefore even if it’s a pick-up we’re not going to remain with a big smiley front face,” he added.
The comments come after Mazda’s global design director, Ikuo Maeda, last month promised that the next BT-50 would take on a “beautiful form”, albeit with a “tougher element”.
While the current BT-50 is based on the Ford Ranger, the next-generation version of Mazda’s bakkie will be developed by Isuzu alongside the KB after the two Japanese firms reached a basic agreement last year.
Mazda Australia managing director Vinesh Bhindi told the Australian publication that the new BT-50 was still in the “early days of development”, adding that it would most likely arrive “post-2020”.
