We’ve first heard Ford is interested in morphing the Focus Wagon into a unibody pickup truck two years ago, and since then, the rumors kept pouring in. Less than a year later, president of global markets Jim Farley confirmed that the Blue Oval is looking to introduce “new nameplates below where we compete today.”
Farley is referring to the full-size and mid-size segments, represented in the U.S. by the F-Series and Ranger. Once believed to be called Courier because Ford trademarked this moniker with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in 2018, the yet-to-be-named ute may be actually called Maverick based on a recent report.
Citing an “anonymous source who claims to be in the industry” of all things automotive, The Fast Lane Truck received a design patent for a tailgate with M A V E R I C K stamped right under the Blue Oval insignia and the handle. Previously believed to be used on the Bronco Sport, Maverick would be an interesting choice for the Focus-based pickup that’s supposed to launch in Brazil by the end of 2021.
Reportedly shown to dealers at the beginning of 2020, whatever the unibody trucklet may be called is expected to start at under $20,000 according to Automotive News. Codenamed P758, the newcomer is likely to share the oily bits with the Bronco Sport and Escape, namely 1.5- and 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged mills.
Connected to an eight-speed automatic of the torque-converter variety, these powerplants should be more than enough for a compact model even though the 1.5 is a three-cylinder that’s better suited in the Focus. Because the underpinnings are shared with the Bronco Sport, pixel artist Kleber Silva imagined how the Maverick would look if Ford were to extend the off-road family to include a crossover-ish pickup truck.
Though the tailgate isn’t an exact reproduction of the patent from TFL Truck, it’s good enough to spur one’s interest into the sub-Ranger alternative. And speaking of alternatives, both Hyundai and VW are currently developing compact unibody pickups of their own for the American continent.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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