Photo: Honda
Utes are those crazy Down Under machines that in a different timeline might have surpassed in appeal modern-day SUVs. Our timeline being as it is, a culture around coupe utility vehicles has developed only in Australia.
From time to time, automakers and tuners elsewhere try their luck in creating utes by chopping up regular cars in other parts of the world. Some create decent products, others do not.
In Honda’s case, it’s safe to say the experiment worked. So well, in fact, that one might even hope to see a production run of the Civic Type R Pickup Truck concept, unveiled on Thursday at the annual SMMT Test Day.
The pickup we see here has been chopped at the carmaker’s UK factory in Swindon. It is, says Honda, potentially one of the fastest pickup trucks on UK roads: 0-62 mph sprint in under six seconds and a top speed of over 165 mph (265 km/h).
The ute is based on a standard road Type R in pre-production form and uses the same powertrain, suspension and gearbox. The body of the vehicle has been extensively modified by adapting the design rearwards from the B-pillars.
The rear seats and the trunk of the Type R have been removed to make room for a flatbed loading area, accessible through a normal-opening hatch.
It’s not yet clear what Honda intends to do with this special Type R. Officially, the car is the result of an attempt of the special projects division to show “what their creative minds could do.”
Also officially, Phil Webb, head of car at Honda UK, said there “are no plans to put this into production.” Instead, he added, the car’s amazing looks would be wasted by making it a mule for “our lawn and garden products as and when required!”
Hopefully, the guys with the creative minds will take offense at their design being used as a wheelbarrow and stop that from happening.
In Honda’s case, it’s safe to say the experiment worked. So well, in fact, that one might even hope to see a production run of the Civic Type R Pickup Truck concept, unveiled on Thursday at the annual SMMT Test Day.
The pickup we see here has been chopped at the carmaker’s UK factory in Swindon. It is, says Honda, potentially one of the fastest pickup trucks on UK roads: 0-62 mph sprint in under six seconds and a top speed of over 165 mph (265 km/h).
The ute is based on a standard road Type R in pre-production form and uses the same powertrain, suspension and gearbox. The body of the vehicle has been extensively modified by adapting the design rearwards from the B-pillars.
The rear seats and the trunk of the Type R have been removed to make room for a flatbed loading area, accessible through a normal-opening hatch.
It’s not yet clear what Honda intends to do with this special Type R. Officially, the car is the result of an attempt of the special projects division to show “what their creative minds could do.”
Also officially, Phil Webb, head of car at Honda UK, said there “are no plans to put this into production.” Instead, he added, the car’s amazing looks would be wasted by making it a mule for “our lawn and garden products as and when required!”
Hopefully, the guys with the creative minds will take offense at their design being used as a wheelbarrow and stop that from happening.
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