Fiat Sentiero Concept, Italian Pick-Up for the US?

... or at least a proposition for an Italian pick-up for the US. The pictures you see are not in fact Fiat sourced sketches of a possible North America-bound truck, but the work of Romanian design graduate Dragos Prodan.

Even so, we can't help from really imagining this truck on US streets, just as was the case with the Jeep Phoenix, a Fiat Panda-insiperd small SUV we presented back in May. As you can see, the Sentiero could very well blend in with American built trucks, even if its designer drew it up primarily for the European markets.

The design of the Sentiero is based on Fiat's current design cues, says Prodan via diseno-art.com. It is a compact truck. It provides several cargo areas, some cleverly disguised in the body of the truck: in front of the rear wheels, in the rear bed and in the tailgate. It is designed to tow up to 2,400 kg (5,290 lbs) and a payload capacity of 820 kg (1807 lbs.). A trailer can be added to the truck, as it comes pre-wired for the task.

As for the engine, Prodan envisions a 3.0l V6 diesel engine, capable of developing some 250 hp. It will propel a drivetrain fitted with 3 different running modes: 2 wheel-drive, auto mode (engaging the rear axel when needed) and lock mode (4WD).

Sentiero's desinger says he tried to make the truck both innovative and functional. This particular endeavor sets itself apart from the, for instance, BMW S.X. concept, as it is more than just a design study and already has most of its features already defined. So, pay attention, Fiat!