Mazda in Australia has unwrapped a new flagship version of the BT-50, adding a smattering of off-road kit, styling tweaks and the “Thunder” badge.
From what we can tell, the Thunder (a nameplate already used by the Ford Ranger here in South Africa) will remain exclusive to Australia, with most of the additions having been developed in that market, for that market.
So, what sets the BT-50 Thunder apart from standard versions of the Isuzu-based bakkie? Well, the newcomer gains a steel bull bar up front, complete with an LED light bar and an integrated underbody protection plate.
Black (anti-slip) side steps and fender flares are also part of the package, along with black 18-inch alloy wheels and an electrically operated roller cover fashioned from aluminium and linked to the vehicle’s central locking system.
A tubular black sports bar has been fitted over the load bay, with the latter also gaining a tub liner. Seven exterior colours are on offer (and “Thunder” decals are applied to each flank), while various accessories are available. Inside, you’ll find brown leather upholstery as standard.
As with the standard BT-50, the Thunder is powered by the same 3,0-litre turbodiesel unit found in the latest Isuzu D-Max. Here, it produces an unchanged 140 kW and 450 N.m, delivered to all four corners via either a six-speed manual gearbox or an automatic transmission with the same number of cogs.
