Professional Pickup & 4x4 Magazine: Summer 2017 #04

IMAGES OF PEUGEOT’S PICKUP REVEALED Last year, the PSA Group (the parent company of Peugeot and Citroen) announced its intentions to launch a global pickup truck, 20 years after the demise of the 504 pickup. The Peugeot Pickup is based on the ‘Dongfeng Rich’, which itself is based on the old ‘D22’ Nissan Navara.

Global pickup market The one-tonne pickup market is growing rapidly in South America and Africa, two regions where Peugeot has considerable market share. It therefore seemed inevitable, that this announcement was going to be made.

“Based on our financial reconstruction, we will launch a global product and technology offensive”, Carlos Tavares, chairman of the PSA management board, explained. “Now more agile, we are ready to shift paradigms by anticipating changes in car usage patterns.”

“Our digital transformation will make the PSA Group a company connected to its customers. With ‘Push to Pass’, we will ensure PSA profitable organic growth. The global one-tonne pickup market is growing, and our pickup will be key to our growth and profitability strategy”.

PSA say that the Peugeot Pickup is aimed at customers who “desire a work tool that is reliable in every circumstance, easy to use and maintain, which allows for a flexible combination of professional and family activities”.

Technical data The Peugeot Pickup (available as a 4x2 or 4x4) will be powered by a 2.5-litre diesel engine, producing 115bhp and 280Nm, which is mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The load bed measures 1,400mm long by 1,390mm wide (far smaller than any other current double cab) and the payload is rated at 815kg.

Where will the Peugeot pickup truck be produced?

partner Stafim, is for the local market and capacity is expected to only reach around 1,200 units annually.

Peugeot is, however, building a number of new plants in North Africa, the largest of which is Kenitra in Morocco.

Expected to open in 2020, Kenitra will have a capacity of up to 200,000 thousand units per year and that this will be a plant to serve Europe, but so far the manufacturer hasn’t stated which cars will be built there.

Will it be coming to the UK? Most definitely not. Being based on the Dongfeng Rich, the Peugeot Pickup will lack European refinement, safety standards and emission standards.

Some media sites have stated that the new Peugeot pickup will be manufactured at a new factory the company is building in Tunisia.

However, this pickup, built in conjunction with Peugeot’s regional

It was initially suggested that Peugeot would be partnering with Toyota for the new pickup, as the two companies already have a working partnership with cars and vans but PSA was quick to dismiss this. Instead, Peugeot turned to its Chinese partner, Dongfeng, for expertise.

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NEWS The differences between the MercedesBenz X-Class and the Renault and Nissan models is a lot more than just a new front. Engineers at Daimler have spent the last couple of years widening the track and chassis of the X-Class, and there will be a more powerful 3.0-litre, six-cylinder turbo-diesel model.

Merc release X-Class teaser Mercedes has released a teaser video of its upcoming pickup truck. The X-Class only appears briefly in the 60 second video, so don’t expect anything too exciting.

The Mercedes-Benz X-Class is the forthcoming pickup truck from Daimler, which will share the same chassis as the Nissan Navara and Renault Alaskan, and

will be built at Nissan’s Barcelona factory alongside its two siblings.

The Mercedes-Benz X-Class will plug a huge gap in Daimler’s portfolio, which is the world’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, and will compete with the Volkswagen Amarok and Ford Ranger at the premium end of the sector.

Mercedes-Benz unveiled two concept models of the X-Class in Stockholm in October 2016 for the two different types of customers that it is targeting.

The X-Class Powerful Adventurer was aimed at commercial 4×4 operators that spend a lot of their time on the outback, while the X-Class Stylish Explorer is pitched to business executives who need an attractive and comfortable vehicle that is able to go off-road occasionally.

The X-Class is expected to go on sale in the summer of 2018, and prices are expected to start from around £25,000 plus VAT. Mercedes-Benz is already offering a pre-order service on its website for customers who put down a £1,000 deposit.

construction industry also enjoyed another productive year with around 3.6 percent growth.

Over 6,000 Navaras have been registered so far this year, knocking last year's winner, the Ford Ranger, off the top spot. Although this hasn't been confirmed, its been speculated that the success of the Navara throughout Europe has pushed back the launch of its Renault and Mercedes-Benz siblings as the factory in Barcelona struggles to keep up with demand.

Pickups drive lcv growth Sales of pickup truck continue to outpace industry growth, with sales up 18.2% over the first half of 2017 while the light commercial vehicle industry as a whole was down 3.7 percent. A total of 27,050 pickups were sold between January and June of this year, with the Nissan Navara topping the sales charts.

July marked the 17th consecutive month of sales growth, rising 14.2% to almost 5,000 units. There have been 6

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many explanations for this hike in demand last year. A lot of it has been credited to the demise of the Land Rover Defender, with a lot of Defender customers making the switch to pickups.

However, there are other factors to consider too. A number of new models, like the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux and Nissan Navara, were introduced last year, along with a whole host of special editions like the Isuzu D-Max Blade. The

Year

Registrations Increase

2012

24455

2013

29394

20.2%

2014

33823

15.1%

2015

40588

20.0%

2016

47,715

17.60%

2017*

27050

18.2%

*First six months

INVESTIGATION

How will Euro-6 affect me?

The European Emission Standards were introduced almost 20 years ago, and the latest stage, Euro-6, came into force last year. As of April 2017, all new pickup trucks now comply with the latest regulation but what impact is it having on you, your wallet and the way you run your vehicle?

Euro-6 has been the most challenging of all the Emission Standards. The investment required to meet Euro-6 was so great that Chinese manufacturer Great Wall decided to withdraw from Europe.

Each of the manufacturers has taken one of two options; a NOx trap or SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction).

The Background

NOx trap

During the 1980’s, the European Commission became increasingly concerned about the impact that increased traffic was having on the quality of air in the continent’s largest cities, most notably London, Paris and Madrid.

Some manufacturers, usually with smaller engine pickups like the Isuzu D-Max, SsangYong Musso, Fiat Fullback and Mitsubishi L200, achieve Euro-6 with a lean NOx trap which is basically a catalyst made of various materials to react with the nitrogen dioxide to create harmless nitrogen.

The Emission Standards were developed, which imposed a limit on the various particles that a vehicle could emit. The primary target of the first stages (Euro-1 and Euro-2) was CO2 (carbon dioxide) but the focus of Euro-6 is on NOx (nitrogen oxide) – which has to be reduced by 55% compared with Euro-5 levels.

What are manufacturers changing to meet Euro-6?

The senior technicians for big manufacturers that I have spoken to about Euro-6 have all explained that 8

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The main drawback is that the diesel emissions aren’t hot enough for the reaction to take place (400°C), so additional heat energy is required from the engine which reduces the fuel economy, although there’s no need for AdBlue, it’s a relatively cheap and simple system with minimal intrusion to the payload.

SCR and AdBlue All the other pickups (Nissan Navara, Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux and

Volkswagen Amarok) have opted for the SCR route. The SCR system injects a liquid-reductant agent, AdBlue, through a special catalyst into the exhaust stream of a diesel engine, turning the nitrogen dioxide into nitrogen and water.

The main downside of SCR is that operators will need to keep the AdBlue (it can be purchased from a wide range of automotive stores and costs around £10 for the 10-litre container) tank topped up, otherwise the vehicles can go into a ‘limp’ mode. Other downsides include the intrusion in the payload due to the weight of the system and it has cost manufacturer more to install, which is reflected in the list price.

The advantages are that SCR has little impact on the fuel economy and, in the case of the Nissan Navara, they are sometimes more fuel-efficient. The rate at which AdBlue is consumed can be as low as 600 miles per litre, which means it will have little impact on running costs, and AdBlue tanks vary in size between 12 and 22 litres.

Infotainment is provided by DAB radio and CD player, with an eight-inch touch screen display, 10-speakers and subwoofer, voice-activated controls and satellite navigation. The seats are comfortable and there’s enough room in the back for the kids to swing a cat.

Load area Unlike European pickups, there is a choice of load area lengths and our test vehicle came with the shorter, 5.5ft load bed. The load bed measures 1,704mm long by 1,285mm wide between the wheelarches, and with 535mm side walls.

There are access steps and a durable cargo bed liner included as standard, with LED box lighting illuminates the box with forward-facing LEDs via the two switches in the bed or on the headlamp control in the cab. Optional extras include the tailgate release, which allows drivers to remotely open and close the tailgate with the push of a button.

Weight and loads Due to its aluminium body, the F150 weighs in at just 2.2 tonnes unladen, which isn’t much different to a Ford Ranger, VW Amarok or Toyota Hilux.

The most surprising aspect of the Ford F150 is its payload. At 635kg, this huge American truck isn’t capable of carrying anywhere near what the smaller Europe trucks can, although payloads do extend up to 1.3 tonnes on some variants.

However, it is a formidable tower. The towing capacity is rated at 4,850kg and there is 569Nm of torque on hand to ensure ample pulling power when towing the full load.

On the road On the open road, the F150 is extremely refined and there is surprisingly little noise for the huge 5.0-litre powerplant.

Despite its 2.2 tonne chassis, its hair12

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raisingly quick and the 375hp, 3.5-litre V6 powers the F150 to 60mph in just 5.8 seconds. Even during heavy acceleration, the 10-speed automatic transmission, with Sport Mode, doesn’t lose momentum through the gear changes and switches through the gears effortlessly.

The steering feels well-connected with the road and unexpectedly light, although it’s hard to manoeuvre in tight spaces with a 13 metre turning circle.

The long springs provide a comfortable ride and there’s very little bounce, although pot holes are more noticeable than other pickups of this size and it can’t rival smooth coils of the Ram 1500.

Off-road We turned off the main highway and entered the Hoosier National Park in Indiana, where there was a number of hilly sections and off-road tracks. Down the mud tracks, the F150 would shudder and shake as it hit potholes and bumps, even at lower speeds, but it felt surefooted over unstable terrain thanks to the four-wheel drive system with locking rear differential.

There was, however, another problem.

The low sitting chassis and long overhangs provided poor approach, departure and ramp over angles of just 25.5, 26.0 and 21.0 degrees respectively – despite the side steps automatically raising when in transit.

Summary In America, where the roads are big and the fuel is cheap (around 21mpg on the combined cycle), the Ford F150 makes perfect sense. At $60,900 (£47,800), the Limited is in the same price bracket as luxury European models but a lot of American’s prefer its commanding views, more affordable parts and, of course, that macho image.

There are a number of companies in the UK that specialise in importing American vehicles like the Ford F150, but with talk of FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) looking at bringing the Ram 1500 to Europe, we’re staying hopeful that Ford will one day follow suit with the F150.

TECHNICAL DATA Built: Dearborn, Michigan, USA Engine: 3.5L EcoBoost V6 Transmission: 10-speed automatic with 4WD Performance: 375hp@5,000 / 569Nm@2,500 Suspension (front/rear): Independent coils/solid axle with leafs Fuel economy (City/High/Comb): 17/23/20mpg (US) 0-60mph: 5.8 seconds Overall dimensions (LxWxH): 5,893/2,027/1,920mm Load area dimensions (LxWxH): 1,704/1,285/535mm Payload: 635kg Towing capacity: 4,850kg Price $60,900 (£47,800)

ROAD TEST payload than any other pickup while towing 3.5 tonnes.

Off-road There aren’t many changes to the D-Max’s off-road ability as it retains the same, electronically selectable 4×4-system as the current generation although there is no limited slip-differential.

However, the D-Max remains a competent off-roader thanks to its impressive traction control system (TCS). The TCS system applies smooth braking force to the rear wheels if they are rotating faster than the front wheels. This limits wheel spin and ensures power is distributed to the wheels with the most traction.

The departure angles and ground clearance are rated at a fairly-high 29.4-degrees, 27.4-degrees and 225mm respectively.

Sales and aftersales Prices for the Isuzu D-Max 2017 start at £15,749 plus VAT, which may sound a lot cheaper than the competition, but you have to

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remember that Isuzu still offers the utilitarian single-cab, 4×2 pickups.

Prices extend up to £26,999 for the top-of-the-range Blade trim level.

Finally, the D-Max still comes with a five-year / 125,000-mile warranty.

Running costs are kept down by 12,000-mile or 24-month service intervals, five years’ roadside rescue and recovery including European cover, a three-year paint warranty, and a six-year anti-corrosion warranty.

TECHNICAL DATA

Engine: Isuzu RZ4E 1,898cc 4cyl Performance: 161bhp@3,600rpm / 360Nm @ 2,000-2,500rpm Transmission: 6-speed MAN/AUT Payload: 1,091-1,282kg Towing capacity: 2.5t (4x2)/3.5t (4x4) Load area length: 1,485mm (D), 1795mm (E), 2,305mm (S) Warranty: Five years / 125,000 miles Service intervals: 12,000 miles / 24 months Price range: £15,749 to £26,999 plus VAT

LONG TERMER

Loading and towing with the L200 As they are commercial vehicles, pickup trucks require a large and practical load area to fulfil their duties. In this long term update, we look at the size and capabilities of the Mitsubishi L200’s load area and its towing capacity.

Dimensions The load area of the Mitsubishi L200 double cab measures 1,470mm long by 1,470mm (1,085mm between the wheelarches) wide, making it by far one of the smallest load beds in its class.

Most other pickups have a load length and width of at least 1,500mm.

Most of the L200’s competitors have a side wall height of at least 500mm, but its only 475mm on the L200. The loading height, however, is fairly accessible at just 850mm from the ground.

Payload Mitsubishi has adjusted the gross vehicle weights, so that the payloads

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stay the same across the four different trim levels, with the transmission being the only differential. Payloads are rated at 1,045kg for the manual and 1,050kg for the automatic, which is around average for the segment.

Towing capacity Unlike most modern pickups, the Mitsubishi L200 doesn’t have a 3.5t towing capacity, which means it cannot tow a 3.5t trailer even if it is empty. The towing capacity, instead, is rated at 3.1t for double cab models so customers would have to have their trailer downplated in order to comply with the rules of the road.

Loading and towing at the same time Most modern pickups can no longer carry the full payload and tow the full capacity at the same time. To work out exactly how much you can carry and tow at the same time, operators must open the bonnet (sometimes located on

the driver or passenger door) and take a look at the weight plate.

The first figure is the gross vehicle weight (maximum weight of the unladen L200 plus all of its contents) and the second is the gross train weight, or gross combination mass (maximum weight of the unladen L200, trailer and all of their contents).

According to the weight plates, our L200 has a gross vehicle weight of 2,900kg and a gross train weight of 5,950kg, and we know from the spec sheets that the unladen weight is 1,850kg. Therefore, when towing the full 3.1 tonnes, you can have 1,000kg of payload (GTW minus the 3.1t trailer weight and 1,850kg kerb weight).

However, if you want to carry the maximum payload and are wondering how much weight you have left to tow, you simply deduct the gross vehicle weight (2,900kg) from the gross train weight (5,950kg), which leaves you with 3,050kg.

It's worth noting that the L200 is capable of carrying the nearer to its full payload potential when towing the full capacity (and vice versa) than any of the mainstream pickups.

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