Renault has just unveiled a new pickup concept, and it looks ready to fight the American monsters. Unless it wasn’t for the size. The model previews the design of future Renault models. The French marque will be unveiling eight of them by 2027.
Renault describes the concept as a breath of fresh air and describes it as having a strong and tough yet sophisticated personality, together with exuberant and modern lines. Just like the firm wants its future models to be.
Honestly speaking, the pickup looks apocalypse-ready and also ready to fight, let’s say, the F Series from Ford. If it wasn’t for the size. Renault does not say anything about the proportions of the vehicle, but it does look compact, with a short load bad and short overhangs.
The design of the Niagara concept is the work of Gilles Vidal, Vice President of Renault Design and former Peugeot Design Director. The Niagara brings along a new design language, which is emotional, as well as technological. The silhouette was carved like a mineral body with a special 3D effect, while the Renault lettering has a pixel-art finish.
The front fascia sits upright and looks robust, sporting what Renault calls an eyebrow-shaped headlight array. From the side, the Apocalypse-ready character is confirmed by the high ground clearance and beefy tires, specifically designed for the extreme conditions. A bit odd for a pickup, the model looks quite coupe-ish. The plastic cladding on the oversized fenders highlights the rough and tough character of the concept.
Photo: Renault
Renault dressed the model in a camouflage inspired by the lines and patterns of the company’s badge. The green reflects the adventurous spirit, the yellow brings it closer to the sports car nature, while light grey indicates the technicality, while the black is a reference to power.
The concept is – as all future Renault models will be – underpinned by the new ultra-flexible Renault Group Modular Platform. Renault came up with the E-Tch Hybrid 4WD tech for the Niagara. It sports a mild hybrid advanced powerplant of 48 V at the front and an electric motor mounted on the rear axle in an all-wheel drive setup, which is just right for off-roading. Renault does not mention the capacity of the battery the concept is equipped with. But they say that the pickup can handle half of the everyday drives in full-electric mode.
The eight models inspired by the Niagra will be launched by 2027 and will be available worldwide, in same of the 80 markets it operates, but not in the United States, where Renault ended its presence back in 1992 and has not returned since. Also built on the Renault Group Modular Platform, the Kardian subcompact crossover will be the first of the upcoming series.
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