Renault preparing Nissan-based pickup truck

Company insiders have revealed to Leftlane that Renault is preparing to introduce a pickup truck based on the new Nissan Navara (pictured).
The yet-unnamed truck will be aimed squarely at the Volkswagen Amarok. It will stand out from its Japanese sibling thanks to a brand-specific front fascia with sharp headlights and an oversized Renault emblem, styling cues that will put it in line with the Juke-fighting Captur and the recently-introduced Kadjar crossover.

Front end aside, the truck is expected to be nearly identical to the Navara inside and out. The two models will be built on the same assembly line in Samut Prakan, Thailand.

Like the Navara, Renault’s upcoming pickup will be offered with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel engine available with either 163 horsepower and 297 lb-ft. of torque or 190 ponies and 332 lb-ft. of twist. A gasoline-burning 2.5-liter four will round out the lineup but it will represent a tiny percentage of sales at best.

Buyers will be asked to choose between rear- and four-wheel drive. A six-speed manual transmission will come standard, and a seven-speed automatic unit will be available at an extra cost.

Renault’s Nissan-based pickup will be introduced at a major auto show either later this year or in early 2016 and it will go on sale in Europe and in a number of global markets including Latin America shortly after. When it lands, it will face stiff competition from the aforementioned Amarok and the new Mitsubishi Triton.