The return of the “car-truck” otherwise known as a light-duty car-based pickup truck that resembles a car upfront and a truck outback, looks to become a reality soon, thanks to Ford. Here’s an excerpt from a recent LeithCars.com Zero To 60 blog on the subject of “party up front, business in the back” car-trucks making a return.
Rumors, spy photos, and news from foreign markets about a new “small truck” from Ford started circulating in U.S. automotive press circles around March 2020. The “scoop” is that a 2022 small Ford truck, named “Maverick” will be built off a version of Ford’s new CUV (car-based) unibody platform shared with the upcoming Bronco Sport (the new Ford Bronco’s little brother). Several other new Fords, all Crossover-Utility-Vehicles including the upcoming Focus, the third-generation Escape, and first-generation Lincoln Corsair also use this same platform.
The gang here at LeithCars.com got to thinking about what other current model cars might make great, little pickup trucks too, “car-trucks” as we like to call them. Granted, none of today’s cars could hold a spark plug to the cool vibe the original car-trucks had, like the Ford Ranchero and Chevrolet El Camino, but what they may lack in classic car coolness, they more than exceed in efficiency, reliability, and safety.
Come with us now as we explore a few of today’s popular family sedans, reimagined as a “car-truck.”
1) Toyota Camry as the “Camarillo”
Any self-respecting car-truck from decades ago will tell you, (if cars could talk), that you must take a Spanish derived model name when you create a car-truck hybrid, (See: Ranchero & El Camino).
Even though Toyota has no history of offering anything close to a car-truck (in the United States), we’ve reimagined the top-selling Camry sedan (above) as the “Camarillo, named after the city of Camarillo, located in Ventura County, California.
In this heroic illustration of our imagined Toyota car-based-truck, the Camarillo is seen on a dusty road, somewhere out on the plains. This classic configuration, 2 door car-truck is taking a well-deserved break from hauling a few fence posts along the north forty. The Camarillo never breaks a sweat as it keeps its driver cool and comfortable up-front in air-conditioned quite, while its cargo is safely stowed in the back.
2) Ford Fusion as the “Ranchero II”
During the nineteen-seventies and eighties, Ford reintroduced two extremely popular models as smaller, more efficient siblings of earlier nameplates, namely the Ford Mustang became the “Mustang II” and the Ford Bronco SUV became the “Bronco II.”
Why not continue the trend now, with a reimagined Ford Ranchero from the seventies as a new Ford Fusion/”Ranchero II?”
Seen (above) in a svelt red exterior, cruising the boulevard of Anytown, U.S.A., our fictional Ranchero II sports a full 4′ x 8′ cargo bed out back when the going gets tough, and a strong 2.0 Litre Ecoboost turbocharged four under the hood when the tough need to get going.
3) Buick Regal TourX as the ” Regal TruX or Palacios”
We’re fans of the station wagon, sport wagon, or sport-cross vehicles like Buick’s current wagon-style model called the TourX. Unfortunately, sport/station wagons are few and far between these days as CUVs have just about pushed the time-honored wagon out to pasture. Even the Buick Regal TourX wagon and Regal sedan are due for early retirement after the current 2020 model year in the U.S.
What if a truck could save the Regal?
Voila! Presented here is an imagined Buick Regal “TruX” or taking from the Spanish naming convention, the Regal “Palacios” or (Regal Palace). It features entry-level Euro-luxury up-front, still retaining its rear doors for more people hauling, and a sophisticated, high-sided pickup bed in the back.
What could be better than a great, family 4-door sedan, built in Germany, with good old American pickup truck utility, and available in a handsome, ready for adventure, sport-truck package?
If these car-based trucks like our Camarillo, Ranchero II, and Palacios became a reality, their unique combination of car style and truck practicality might just be enough to save the car?
** 1-26-21 Update! The 2022 Ford Maverick has finally been revealed, or at least a Motor Trend rendering of what it most likely may look like. Check out the Motor Trend article, here.
Written by Mark Arsen for LeithCars.com.
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