Mazda and Isuzu announced plans to partner in building a new midsize pickup truck, In an extremely short news release, the two automakers announced a “basic agreement on the next-generation pickup truck collaboration.” Details of the collaborative effort are scarce – likely even between both automakers. The reason behind the effort is clear, however. Mazda will get a strengthened product lineup while Isuzu will enhance its product competiveness.

This collaboration could see both the Mazda BT-50 and Isuzu D-Max pickups being replaced with a single pickup, badge-engineered for each automaker. While that’s unconfirmed, the possibility seems high.

Mazda and Isuzu have already proved they can work together. The companies have a decade-long partnership where Isuzu builds Mazda pickups for the Japanese market.

We’ll be keeping a close tabs on this partnership with an eye peeled for future products. It will likely be several years, however, before the pair head to production with a jointly built midsize truck. Planning and development times are generally measured in years for automakers.

Sadly, it’s highly unlikely this future midsize truck will be available in the U.S.

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Why It Matters

Pickups are gaining popularity around the world and automakers are working to meet the demand. By Isuzu and Mazda working together, the two can share development and production costs, lessening the up-front financial burden and potentially increase backend profits. The two trucks, though mechanically the same, will look slightly different. Each will have styling and interior trimmings that resemble their respective brand. The Nissan/Mercedes pickup collaboration is another example of this sort of partnership.