What Brands Should Making Pickup Trucks Right Now That Aren’t? That’s the question The Bishop put to us yesterday, and for me, the answer is easy: Every brand should have a truck, I say. At least a ute.
Ferrari with a flatbed? Obviously. Morgan Super 3 with box behind the cockpit? Do it. Peel 50 with a bed just big enough for, I dunno, a good-sized haul of library books? Let’s GO.
You, of course, had more thoughtful and practical ideas. The Bishop himself made these selections from your many, many insightful replies:
Lots of love for the old Mitsubishi Mighty Max. How could I have forgotten?
Cloud ShouterMitsubishi.They need a reason to get people into their stores.
James McHenryMitsubishi makes some sense (from what I recall the L-series was well liked overseas,) Mazda perhaps a bit more
Madanthony
I just want to see Mitsubishi bring back the Mighty Max name.
DodsworthA new Mitsubishi Mighty Max would work and boost the company profile.
Plenty of people seem to agree that Mazda has to return:
Y2Keith
Mazda Is Always The Answer.
Myk El
I’d love to see Mazda and Mitsubishi re-enter the small pickup market with Maverick sized entries. Nothing bigger.
OrigamiSensei
Those Mazda B2000 and B2200 pickups were awesome. I owned the latter for a few years as a first-time house owner, and it did all the pickup things I needed while still providing enough economy and reliability to be a daily commuter. I still say that’s all the truck the vast majority of people need and the Maverick kind of fills that niche these days.
Stop talking about the Blackwood! It had a carpeted bed!
Dodsworth
I don’t think a luxury brand dabbling in pickups is a good idea. You’ll just have another Lincoln Blackwood.
M Wilkins
“Somehow a Lexus-branded Tundra makes sense.”
Lincoln tried this a couple times in the 2000s and failed both times, and Cadillac didn’t fare much better.
At least one guy wants expensive vehicle treatment for an expensive vehicle:
Rob Freudenberg
I’d gladly pay for a Lexus-upleveled Tacoma or Tundra
This one got me laughing, but then I thought, why not?
Luxobarge
John Deere. They already have design, engineering, manufacturing, marketing, distribution, and support, plus incredible brand recognition and loyalty. A Deere pickup would be an instant competitor to Ford/Chevy/Ram.
JJ says what a lot of us think:
JayJay
None. Pickup trucks are stupid for most private uses. A station wagon with an openable window in the rear hatch, or detatchable roof bars, will do the same job of getting your 2x4s home. For commercial use, or if youre a really keen private DIYer, they are fine. But your stuff in the back will get less stolen or rained upon, if you just use a van.
This brought on the inevitable:
Luxobarge
Follow-up Autopian Asks for tomorrow: what cars should have wagon versions that don’t?
Adam Schluck
Shouldn’t the question be which cars shouldn’t? The list would be much shorter
Have you commented on today’s Ask yet?
What Cars Did You Want As A Kid That You Wouldn’t Buy Today?
Top graphic image: Mitsubishi
As a kid I thought the 1980s Ford Escort GT was so cool. Yikes.
I’m now thinking about John Deere trucks. Would they all be green with yellow trim? Would the wheel rims all be yellow? Would the Punisher sticker on the back window be a deer head? Nothing runs like a Deere.
Seventh-gen Pontiac Grand Prix
I like the Blackwood more than I should
Oops
Add me to the “Just get a Wagon/Work Van” contingent.
Because $70K+ 4 door pickups are just “Workin’ Guy” cosplay.
Big ask:
Lamborghini. Or really anything that doesn’t hit higher than my nipples.
I rejected a brand-new Prius because the damn thing is just too low to get into comfortably. A Prius, even the low swoopy one, looks like Wilt Chamberlain next to the wheeled doorstop that is any Lambo not also badged LM002.
At one time, I was flexible enough that during a Twister tournament, an onlooker asked if I was a member of the cheerleading squad. That is approximately the same time I had Lamborghini posters, and Vector posters, and especially Pantera posters. Those days are long, long in the past and now I just want to get in. I don’t want to have to stretch out first.
Thanks for the mention [heart emoji]