AUTONEWS

The Volkswagen Tera SUV could become a pickup truck in Brazil

You've seen Volkswagen's efforts to promote the Tera, its newest compact SUV, but unlike previous models, it comes with a heavier weight, as intended by the brand, which sees the product as a continuation of its historical leadership.

So, we have a truly new car, with lines not shared with its larger siblings, clearly derived from the Polo, but this also raises the question: is all this just for a single car?

As we know, Volkswagen will have another product in Paraná, a light double-cab pickup truck to replace the Saveiro, which, despite being the second-place market leader, still carries its past in its back and the costs associated with it.

So, why not use part of the Tera's lines in this new pickup? That's what designer Kleber Silva from @kdesignag proposes with his latest rendering, where the utility vehicle uses elements of the compact SUV to compose its look.

The pickup truck, in this case, still uses the Tarok base, a production-ready concept that VW put into reverse gear, when it should have engaged drive and driven around the country.

In any case, the new pickup truck — which will not continue to be called Saveiro, provisionally called Udara — will use the modular MQB-A0 platform and is being tested on a Tiguan Allspace due to its size, between the Saveiro and the Toro.

In the projection, this Udara pickup truck adopts the Tera's layout well, also highlighting a raised skid plate, while the rear incorporates elements of the compact SUV's set, such as taillights with internal niches and a black wraparound mask, which connects both.

With the Tarok base, this Udara would be an excellent anti-Toro, but it will not be that big, as suggested by the use of a rigid axle and leaf springs, already seen on the Tiguan mule.

The target is the Fiat Strada, and thus, a size similar to that of the Chevrolet Montana and Renault Oroch. Because of this, we believe that other elements of the Tera will be incorporated, especially the doors, with the rear ones slightly enlarged due to the longer wheelbase.

Fiat did this by using a car much smaller than the Tera to compose its current generation of the Strada, which worked out very well.

As we have already said, the Tera takes a new direction in design and José Carlos Pavone will certainly sign the pickup from Paraná, perhaps suggesting a new family of compacts with this look.

If it weren't for the Nivus, we would probably have a coupe-style SUV based on the Tera, as well as eventually an interesting seven-seat SUV to rival the Spin and Aircross. Will it be? Who knows?

Mundoquatrorodas