Just like Ford, Mazda too decided that the 2010 Australian International Motor Show is the best place for them to reveal the all-new BT-50 pickup truck. Trying to make it sound more interesting, Mazda says that it’s an “Active lifestyle vehicle”, and you have to say it does look nicer than regular pickups and the interior is above the average of this class as well.

Mazda has not released details of the engine and equipments, but they have detailed design of the exterior and interior pretty well. The body is indeed pretty fancy, but at the end of the day it’s a pickup truck, so it doesn’t matter that much! We’re more interested in this car’s interior which is totally car-like with materials that even in the pictures scream quality.

Ryo Yanagisawa, chief designer of the all-new BT-50, explains: “Mazda’s brand message is Zoom-Zoom, which refers to the emotion of motion first experienced as a child. With the all-new Mazda BT-50, we aimed to express this emotion through the design, and we drew a lot of inspiration from various “movements” in the world around us. For example, we had a photograph of a lion. He looked like a magnificent predator with his muscles all bunching up as though he was about to pounce on his prey. His sinews were stretched taut ready to strike, and his mane framed a sharp, masculine countenance that seemed to say, ‘I am the proud king of the beasts!’ In profile, that lion appeared to be both intelligent and powerful. I really wanted the design of the truck to project that kind of image. This kind of inspiration was the basis of the emotional design that we worked so hard to achieve with the all-new BT-50.”

Exterior – Lively and Imposing Styling

Without detracting from the strength or the level of functionality, we wanted to give the exterior of the all-new Mazda BT-50 an athletic design, overflowing with movement, that would make people immediately want to get in and drive. The crisp lines will have owners looking on with pride.

The finished car has a beauty and individuality that can be recognized at a glance from any angle, even up to 100 meters away.

• Dynamic wedge-shaped proportions evoke an image of a large carnivore about to pounce on its unsuspecting prey. This is unlike any other utility.
• Casting off the conventional boxy image of a utility, sporty and dynamic lines are in tune with the rest of Mazda’s passenger vehicle lineup.
• Further evolving Mazda’s traditional prominent fenders, muscular lines flow from the fenders along the body sides.

A Front Fascia with a Bold, Overwhelming Presence and an Individual Rear End

• Mazda’s family face, the five-point grille, is further evolved for a more imposing expression with the headlights and a chrome crossbar forming a large pentagon.
• The headlights have a bold boomerang shape, elaborate details and a functional beauty.
• A first in the segment — the taillights are stretched horizontally, reaching around the corners and across the tailgate, for a sporty and refined rear view that is similar to a premium SUV.

Interior – A Sporty and Personal Space

We wanted to give the interior of the all-new Mazda BT-50 a more sporty and personal feel to complement the dynamic exterior image, and create a comfortable space to rival Mazda’s current passenger car standard. The cockpit is designed to wrap around the driver and provide an environment that supports enthusiastic driving. It raises anticipation for a sporty and responsive driving experience that goes beyond any conventional utility.

• The flowing design smoothly connects the center of the instrument panel to the raised center console, which has never before been seen in a pickup truck.
• The dashboard has an asymmetric design to create optimal space on each side; it reassuringly wraps around the driver and provides an open space for the passenger.
• Four bold metallic panel strips on the door trim and sides of the center console express dynamism and seem to be supporting the interior space.
• A metallic outline highlights the two cylindrical meters and connects them via a center strip to improve readability and enhance the sporty, driver-oriented impression of the instrument panel.
• The audio control panel and the climate control switch panel, which has independent driver- and passenger-side temperature controls, form a beautifully designed human interface.