Volkswagen revealed the first details on the Concept Pick-up, the preview version of the Robust pick-up. Official unveiling will be made at the 62nd IAA Commercial Vehicles Show. Volkswagen will begin production of the new pick-up at its plant in Pacheco, Argentina in 2009.
The double cab concept is modeled on a coastal search-and-rescue and beach patrol application, with a functional blue LED light bar and can’t-miss "SAR" badges on its sides. The five foot cargo box and two-piece tailgate have been modified to store tools, life preservers and a fire extinguisher.
The long-rumored Robust pick-up is set for its official debut at the 62nd IAA Commercial Vehicles show in Hannover, Germany that begins later this month. VW has likely chosen a commercial auto show to debut this truck because it has a long history of commercial vehicles in other parts of the world, and the Robust will likely have multiple variations with commercial applications.
The Robust will be built at the Pacheco plant in Argentina in late 2009 as a 2010 model. It will be offered in African and South American markets initially. While it is likely that some European markets will receive the new truck, there has been no announcement about North America.
As you know, Volkswagen is working on their first real pick-up: the 2010 Robust. And even if the car was canceled from the European market, it will still come from Argentina and sold in North and South America. After we brought you our artist impression on the future Robust, here’s a new rendering of the car, this time made by Area75 Car Design.
The Robust will be offered in a wide number of versions, in both single and double cab form. This includes a top of the line version in FWD, but Volkswagen will also offer cheaper 2WD versions.
Starting the beginning of this year rumors about a pick-up from Volkswagen started to circulate all over the internet. Among other markets the "Robust" was supposed to also come on the European market. But due to high oil prices, Volkswagen announced this pick-up will not come to the European market.
A Volkswagen spokesman said an analysis showed there is no sufficient market for such a vehicle with a huge loading space and given the high oil prices, the overall conditions for such a Pick-up has "radically changed".
The pick-up was planned to be built at Hannover from 2010.
Robust will still be built, but at VW’s Argentinian plant in Pacheco and sold in emerging markets. The annual unit production of Pick-up Robust is planned at 90,000 units.
After Taro, a very unsuccessful model, Volkswagen didn’t had any other pick-up in their line-up. But the company is working on a new pick-up that will fill that gap in the line-up and that is supposed to give lots of troubles to Toyota.
The future Robust is already in testings and the spy photographers were there to take a few shots.
Robust will be manufactured in South America and will be offered first as a double-cab with short loading area, and a simple-cab with long loading area will join line-up few months after the official debut.
Even if there are no news about the technical parts it is expected that Volkswagen will put under the hood of the future Robust a wide choice of common-rail diesel engines and a V6 petrol engine.
