Volkswagen unveils Concept Pickup, aka the Robust
by Damon Lavrinc on Sep 22nd 2008 at 4:20PM 
Click above for high-res gallery of the VW Concept Pickup
Volkswagen's entry into the "one-ton" truck fray has officially hit the Web before its proper unveiling at the 62nd IAA Commercial Vehicles Show, and although it's only called the "Concept Pickup" for now, this spartan work truck is what consumers in South America and other emerging markets (not the U.S. and Europe) will likely know as the Robust when it goes into production In Pacheco, Argentina next year.
Blending V-Dub style with a profile reminiscent of the Honda Ridgeline, the double-cab concept is tarted up with SAR badges, a functional light bar and all the life-saving tools that you'd find in a coastal search-and-rescue-mobile, include a Baywatch-style "can" in the bed.
We're partial to the massive grille and deep air dam that spans the fascia, along with the bars flanking the bed and the incredibly production-ready interior. Both gasoline and diesel powerplants will be available when the production version goes on sale next year, and if it were 1995, we'd loved to see the VW pickup available in the U.S.
Gallery: Volkswagen Concept Pickup
[Source: Pickuptrucks.com]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Torrent 4:25PM (9/22/2008)
I can honestly say it looks worlds better than I thought it would.
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meshies 4:36PM (9/22/2008)
my EXACT thoughts
brandon 4:48PM (9/22/2008)
dito
HotRodzNKustoms 5:00PM (9/22/2008)
Agreed, I thought it look as bad as the Honda.
P.V. 5:25PM (9/22/2008)
I beg to differ; I think the Scirocco/Golf/Rabbit front end doesn't work too well with the general boxy shape of the truck.
The rest of it: meh.
3seriesisking 5:59PM (9/22/2008)
I agree....it a fresh, honest design that really doesn't look too bad at all. Good job VW.
BigMcLargeHuge 4:35PM (9/22/2008)
"one-ton"? Are we sure about that?
I wasn't expecting VW to start in SuperDuty territory.
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MONTE 4:41PM (9/22/2008)
Most all current trucks are over a ton on payload. The payload rating of a F-150 is almost 3100lb and technically that's a half ton truck. That is what they mean by "one ton".
On a side note, nice VW Ridgeline.
BigMcLargeHuge 4:48PM (9/22/2008)
I agree the naming convention is stupid, but its still a misnomer.
EXP Jawa 4:55PM (9/22/2008)
A one-ton rating (and a diesel engine) is just about manditory in South America and other similar markets for compact trucks, at least if you actually want customers to consider them...
BigMcLargeHuge 5:10PM (9/22/2008)
The American convention for a one-ton is anything that could carry a ton in its first generation. These days those same models can carry 2-5 times that much.
I always thought our naming convention was crap. But I didn't realize in other countries a one-ton is something that can actually carry a ton of payload.
garlinski 4:36PM (9/22/2008)
Wow... wow... I like it.
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Jei 12:23PM (9/24/2008)
I agree. I like it too.
But I'd like to see a more street-oriented version. If you can convince the average consumer that this truck will look pretty good at the curb, it'll have a chance. And throw some 20" wheel & tire packages on it too. Make it look urban-tough instead of rural-ready.
Remog 12:22PM (9/25/2008)
Wait.. Urban-Tough?...
I picture Urban-Tough as: 22" chrome spinners, 10megawatt sound system blairing out gansta rap, under glows, and enough electronic bling to require your own nuclear reactor in the bed.
speedball3 4:41PM (9/22/2008)
This is what the Ridgeline should have looked like!
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The Luigiian 9:24PM (9/22/2008)
I hope the upcoming ABAT looks like a slightly more aggressive version of this.
leadhead 4:43PM (9/22/2008)
That looks more like 1/4 ton, 1/2 ton tops to me. Ultra small bed, bed part of the cab. Its obviously not something meant to do lots of heavy work.
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Remog 12:21PM (9/25/2008)
Actually.. if you look closely at the pics provided, there is a seam just behind the rear doors, and ahead of the "rollbar" thing.. and if you look at the in-bed shot, there is defiantly a separation between the bed and cab.
it looks uni body but it might not be. just alot of molded metal - more than necessary.
Dondonel 4:45PM (9/22/2008)
Not bad, if they came up with it two years ago.
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Nellydesign 8:47AM (9/23/2008)
Personally I think just making a nice looking small truck (especially unibody) look good is breaking new ground. Inside and out it makes the competition look like crap.